Afcon 2023: Africa’s diaspora footballers are boosting the continent’s game – but they are also creating challenges: The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is approaching its conclusion in Ivory Coast and speculation is rife about which team will be the ultimate winner. It could be one of the continent’s footballing heavyweights such as Morocco or …
Africa Cup of Nations showcases the continent’s finest footballers – and China’s economic clout: When the Africa Cup of Nations begins on January 13, the opening match between Guinea Bissau and the hosts, Ivory Coast, will be played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan. The state-of-the-art venue is one of six stadiums being used …
Why CEOs and footballers attract different levels of outrage about high pay: Lomb/Shutterstock The average pay of FTSE100 CEOs rose by 16% from £3.38 million in 2021 to £3.91 million in 2022, according to the latest figures from thinktank the High Pay Centre. In the same week this was reported, UK political figure Nigel Farage …
Women’s World Cup: what still needs to be done to improve the lot of elite female footballers: The Fifa Women’s World Cup is just 32 years old and on its eighth official edition, while the men’s competition began 93 years ago and has enjoyed 22 tournaments. After the success of the 2019 WWC in France, …
Dele Alli abuse revelations highlight how professional footballers suffer greater mental health risks: Dele playing for England in 2018. Dokshin Vlad/Shutterstock Everton footballer Dele Alli released an emotional interview with pundit and former player Gary Neville, on July 13. The video was a poignant reminder of the difficult upbringings experienced by many professional footballers and …
West African footballers battle to fit in while making it in Europe – two share their ups and downs: Footballers in Africa dream of a career in Europe Wikimedia Commons Growing up, many young Africans nurse the ambition of playing football professionally in Europe and becoming superstars. The BBC reports that about 260 million people …
How celebrity footballers can help reduce prejudice against minorities – podcast: In the latest episode of Discovery, an ongoing series via The Conversation Weekly podcast, we hear about recent research that showed how a Muslim celebrity footballer helped reduce Islamophobia. When Mohamed Salah joined Liverpool football club in 2017, he quickly became the Premier League …
World Cup 2022: footballers run either like gazelles or grizzlies – here’s how our research can help coaches: MaciejGillert/Shutterstock Every team still competing in the Fifa World Cup is determined to get their hands on football’s ultimate prize. But willpower isn’t everything. Success on the pitch also depends on the players’ abilities to run for …
Ooh, ah, up the ‘Ra: why Ireland’s women footballers are under fire for singing after their historic win: The Irish women’s football team has qualified for their first Fifa World Cup, beating Scotland 1-0. In the aftermath of the match, the team celebrated by cheering and chanting in the locker room, including the line “Ooh, …
East African footballers are a rarity on the global stage: we analysed why: National hero Ally Mbwana Samatta is the first Tanzanian to feature in the English Premier League. Sebastien Smets/Photo News via Getty Images When Tanzania’s national football hero Mbwana Ally Samatta signed with Aston Villa in 2020 this was far more than just …
Nearly 70% of Premier League footballers are abused on Twitter – we used an AI to sift through millions of tweets: As the new Premier League football season gets underway, a few things are certain. There will be goals, drama and excitement, and unfortunately, players will be subjected to vile abuse on social media. My …
The fighting spirit of young African footballers who migrate overseas: Young players train with Cameroon star striker Vincent Aboubakar who plays for Saudi Professional League club Al Nassr. DANIEL BELOUMOU OLOMO/AFP via Getty Images When Sadio Mané scored the decisive penalty to secure Senegal’s triumph over Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, …
Heading the ball is linked to cognitive impairment in retired professional footballers: new research: Oleksandr Osipov/Shutterstock The potential long-term neurological effects of concussions and other knocks to the head in professional sport have attracted significant attention and research interest over recent years. Confirmation in 2014 that former England footballer Jeff Astle died as a result …
The precarious fate of African footballers in Europe after their game ends: Nigeria's Michael Emenalo, left, is a rare post-playing success story. Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images Think of your favourite former male football player from Europe. You probably remember beautiful goals, unbelievable saves, fighting spirit. What is he doing now? Coaching? Or is …
For footballers of African descent, playing in Euro 2020 will be a double-edged sword: Romelu Lukaku of Internazionale. Mattia Ozbot/Soccrates/Getty Images The UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament – or the 2020 Union of European Football Associations Championship, held every four years – is scheduled to begin on 11 June 2021. The tournament was delayed by …
How transfers negatively affect Nigerian footballers’ families: Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates after scoring in a European football game. Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty In Nigeria, a large number of players move from one club to another in the country’s top division of 20 clubs. Although exact figures are sketchy, there are many footballers who engage in this …
How African diaspora footballers juggle the identity question: Riyad Mahrez is one of several French born footballers currently playing for African countries Shutterstock Sport is a useful prism through which to explore aspects of national identity. This is particularly so with football, given its popularity and global reach. International teams are often portrayed as the …