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The World Cup has closed its curtains and Russia is basking in its glory of hosting a successful tournament. African countries did not shine but the African heritage has been witnessed in individuals whose roots are of African descent.
The French national team boasts over ten players with African roots. Belgium's top goalscorer Lukaku is of Congolese descent and can speak fluent Swahili. It is notable to mention John Guidetti of Sweden who grew up in Kenya and played for various local leagues and his teammate Martin Waikwa Olsson whose mother is Kenyan. Though Sweden failed to beat England the players had a decent stint in the limelight.
Currently, African countries do not have high-class sports facilities with academies to spur the growth of talent but with the World Cup closing its curtains, I believe as a continent we need to focus on all avenues that can give more opportunities to local talents.
The unemployment rates in most of the African countries are mostly affecting the youth and offering alternatives in sports can reduce this immensely. It is time we call upon leaders to invest and promote sports as much as the other economic activities. If all the notable players in the current World Cup came from Africa, what would happen if we invested more; maybe we could be seeing an African nation going for glory at the finals?
With proper funding, Africa can go all the way in football and finally get an African nation's name embedded on that trophy. Africa has proven that it can compete in any avenue and be glorious, evident in rugby sevens where South Africa is a dominant team, athletics with Kenyans and the Ethiopians. Hence, I believe football should be our next milestone. We have come from so far and all we can do is improve because our continent is full of life and we can make football from Africa global.
The tremendous job that was witnessed by France can be replicated by each nation. Football academies will be the only way that African nations can have such young talent bred and nurtured to birth international football stars.
This will improve the social-economic platform that will be an avenue to bring income to our nations through employment and talent growth. Let's nurture the future generation so that by the time we as a continent host the World Cup, African nations will be favourites to win it and bring pride to the motherland.
