The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is drawing to a close in Cote d’Ivoire and speculation is rife as to which team will emerge victorious. It could be one of the football heavyweights of the continent, like Morocco or Senegal. Alternatively, a related minnow such as Angola or Cape Verde may emerge as the surprise winner.
Last time, in the 2021 edition in Algeria, Captain of Senegal The trophy was lifted by Kalidou Koulibali. Before that, Algeria’s 2019 triumph in Egypt saw Riyad Mahrez become the winning captain. Significantly, no player was born in Africa and there is a distinct possibility that the winning captain of this year’s tournament may have been born elsewhere.
From 630 players who had registered to play from teams competing in the 2023 edition, 200 were not born in Africa. The non-African country with the most players in the tournament is France, with 104. Spain is second with 24, then England with 15. Even players born in Ireland and Saudi Arabia are competing in this year’s tournament.
The Moroccan national team has the largest number of diaspora players. Eighteen of his team members were born outside of Morocco, with only nine born in the country. Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have 17 and 16 members of the diaspora group, respectively.
The phenomenon seems to be on the rise and has allowed some African teams (and several with a very limited football history) to climb the football ranks in recent years. But some people argue that the diasporas are undermining the progress of African football, mainly by creating a culture of complacency.
Strengthening their ranks
The fact that African teams are increasingly relying on players born elsewhere is no surprise. After all, there is one intense battle of talent taking place in world football. This often includes the naturalization of individuals who find themselves playing for one national team even though they may have already played for another, and targeted recruitment players in countries around the world.
However, the case of Africa is particularly characteristic. It is a reflection of the continent as well colonial past and its global diasporas.
For example, Mahrez was born in Paris to parents of Algerian and Moroccan origin. 331,000 Algerians and 254,000 Moroccans live in the French capital. Coulibaly also born in France to parents of Senegalese descent. Figures show that there are more than 100,000 Senegalese in France.
But this is not just a story about France. of Nigeria Ademola Lookman was born in London, Ghana Inaki Williams comes from Bilbao, Spain and from Morocco Sofyan Amrabat and Hakim Ziyech is of Dutch origin.
Self-identity and family dynamics are some of the reasons why players choose to play for teams from their parents’ hometowns rather than their own. In 2022, Ziyech explained it like this: “Choosing the national team is not done with the mind but with the heart. I have always felt Moroccan even though I was born in the Netherlands. A lot of people will never understand.”
Williams has spoken of his grandparents’ influence, arguing that a decision is “easier when you see it [Ghanaian] the world and your family support you to be a Black Star.” Such cases reveal a multidimensional sense of place.
However, cynics argue that other such players are simply not good enough to play for the European nations in which they were born or naturalized. For example, former Arsenal starlet Alex Iwobi he has gone from a potential future England star to an occasionally critical Fulham midfielder and Nigeria international.
But at what cost?
Others express concerns about how the diaspora is undermining African football. One worry is that importing talent from Europe and elsewhere is just a quick strategy for success ie erodes long-term health of football across the continent.
Even so, the approach seems to be working. At the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Morocco became the first African country to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament. This helped the country become the current highest ranked team in Africa and the 13th best team worldwide.
Senegal is also in the world’s top 20, while of Cape Verde Recent performances show that even Africa’s traditionally less successful footballing nations can prosper. Cape Verde, a string of ten islands in the Atlantic Ocean with a population smaller than the city of Bristol, have just topped a tough group including Egypt and Ghana at the 2023 Afcon.
Like the former goalkeeper of Cameroon Joseph-Antoine Bell remain less positive about such achievements. Bell claims that diaspora players make the job of African football leaders, coaches and trainers too easy, which creates a culture of complacency. He also believes it discourages players born, raised and living in Africa.
Although his practice recruitment of diaspora talent appears to be increasing (the effect of globalization must also be recognized as an influence), there are still some countries that rely more on domestically born and raised players – Namibia and South Africa are examples of this.
Bell would no doubt approve, having previously called on Africa to develop its own talent identification and development solutions. The problem is that this takes time, money and patience – precious commodities in football in general, not just in Africa.
Whatever happens when the final match of the tournament takes place at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, it will be a proud moment and a great celebration for African football. However, the birthplace of the captain who will eventually lift the trophy will likely spark further debate about the importance of the African football diaspora.