It only takes a Real Madrid or FC Barcelona match to set African social media on fire. Timelines explode, statuses change, profile pictures proudly display European jerseys. A Clásico thousands of kilometers away becomes a matter of emotional life or death.
But where are those same voices when the local club plays at home? Where are the neighborhood “ultras” when their national team is fighting for qualification in an empty stadium? Silence. Or worse, mockery.

And here, we must dare to say it:
We may have become the colonized of football.

One-Sided Passion

There’s nothing wrong with loving the beautiful game. There’s no shame in being passionate about Liverpool, Manchester City, or PSG. Football passion knows no borders.
But when that passion becomes an obsession for the “elsewhere” and leads to contempt or disinterest in the “here,” we must ask ourselves:
What have we done with our own football?

Our clubs struggle to fill the stands. Our local players only get applauded… when they sign for a European club. And yet, these players grew up on our fields, trained in our academies, supported by our families. But the moment they cross to Europe, suddenly they become “credible.”
Irony, isn’t it?

The Tragedy of Inconsistency

On social media, many criticize the mismanagement of African football—corruption, scandals, incompetence. Yes, there are problems.
But do we really have the right to point fingers when we ourselves do nothing to uplift what we have?
We can’t demand respect for a football we don’t even support.

The stadium is empty, but the betting slips are full. Subscriptions to European sports channels are paid on time, but we don’t even know the date of the next local league match.
We bash the CAF, but we can’t even name two clubs in our national championship.

It’s like advocating for independence while singing the empire’s anthem.

The Memory of Our Elders

Ask your parents. They’ll tell you about the days when stadiums were packed, when clubs like ASEC, Raja Casablanca, Espérance, Canon Yaoundé, or Hafia FC electrified entire cities. They’ll tell you about African football glory, fearless and proud.
This isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a reminder:
We once had great football here.
And we can have it again… if we choose to fight for it.

The Real Battle

While we spend our energy on foreign clubs, the African Union is currently calling for the cancellation of Africa’s crushing public debt—a debt we’ve been paying since colonization, with interest rates 500 times higher than the global average.
But we still waste what little money we have on foreign TV rights, sports betting, and subscriptions for teams that don’t know or care we exist.
We’re fighting the wrong battles.

Love Football, but Stay Free

You have the right to support Real Madrid, cheer for Mbappé, admire De Bruyne.
But don’t forget to love your own football.
Support your local club. Watch your national league. Talk about your own players.
It’s not outdated—it’s necessary.
It’s not anti-modern—it’s a matter of dignity.

Football is culture. And if we’re not careful, it’s a culture we risk losing. Or worse—handing away, without resistance, without question.

You’re not just a fan. You’re a participant.

So what if we started by restoring some balance?