Is the future of football Black? (Part 3)

Main image: Morocco’s goalkeeper Kassou Allal (L) tries to stop a kick of Peru’s soccer player Orlando De La Torre (standing) as Moroccan Houmane Jarir (behind) looks on 06 June 1970 in Leon, during the World Cup soccer match between Peru and Morocco. AFP PHOTO

In the third part of his series on the future of football, Baffour explores how prejudice, politics and FIFA’s treatment of African teams shaped the continent’s difficult path to the World Cup. You can read the first part here, and the second part here .

Over the past three weeks, I have taken time to provide the empirical evidence accumulated over the past 40 years showing how global football has been turning Black, and how in the next 40 years, all things being equal, it would be super dominated by Black players. I may be lying peacefully in my grave when it happens, and when it does, please don’t dig me up to disturb my peace because I would have told you so in 2026.

Remarkably, the humongous changes in the careers of Black players have happened in our very lifetime, short as it is. But it wasn’t always so. In fact, the story was very, very different. Until 1974, African football (and thus Black players) was so marginalised and disrespected globally that FIFA would not even permit Black African nations (as opposed to Arab North Africa) to participate in the World Cup, a long 44 years after the World Cup series had started in 1930.

Granted that in 1930 most African nations were colonies of European powers. But when political independence arrived in the 1960s, FIFA still rejected Black African applications to enter the World Cup. FIFA continued to move the goalposts by bringing in impossible qualification rules that discriminated against Black African nations.

Egypt had been allowed to participate in 1934. At the time the tournament started directly with a knockout round, so Egypt’s lone game against Hungary on 27 May 1934 resulted in elimination, after they lost 4-2.

It took another 36 long years before the next African nation (Morocco in 1970) was permitted to play at the tournament. Morocco lost 2-1 to West Germany in the first game, lost again 3-0 to Peru in the second game, and drew 1-1 with Bulgaria in the third and last game.

The prevailing global sentiments at the time saw Egypt and Morocco as though in Africa but not in Africa proper. They were in ‘Arab North Africa’, which they racially characterised (and still characterise) as not part of ‘Sub-Saharan Africa’, a euphemism for Black Africa, the ‘Dark Continent;

This racial characterisation affected not only Black African nations but Black players globally as well. In those days, Black players were seen as oddities incapable of properly kicking a football or even having the brain-power to play the game.

Somehow, in the run-up to the 1974 World Cup hosted by West Germany (West and East Germany had not reunited by then), FIFA changed its mind and allowed Africa (the whole continent, not just North Africa) a lone entrant, which happened to be DR Congo, then called Zaire.

It was a defining moment for Black Africa. Today most people have forgotten about this landmark event, so let me refresh their minds by narrating what happened at World Cup 1974, Africa-wise. It might take some space to narrate it, but please bear with me.

Zairean football was not a fluke at the time. They had won the AFCON in 1968 and in 1974, playing eye-catching football born out of the care and investment that their President, Mobutu Sese Seko, had lavished on football and its growth in the country.

So, coached by a Yugoslav, Blagoje Vidinić, Zaire represented Africa in 1974 as the first Sub-Saharan African team to participate in the World Cup. They went to West Germany with all the negative baggage about Black people. Africa’s hopes were thus pinned on Zaire.

In their opening game against Scotland on 14 June 1974, played at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, Zaire gave Scotland (who fielded the likes of Denis Law, Billy Bremner, and Kenny Dalglish) a run for their money.

As the British sportswriter Steve Charnock reminded us recently: “Zaire burst out of the blocks and quickly set about thrilling everyone watching with their attacking approach and maverick playing style.

“Unfortunately for Vidinić’s men, Scotland weathered the storm and eventually wrestled the game from them, winning – somewhat undeservedly – by 2 goals to nil. It was no disgrace though, by any stretch. Zaire had quietly impressed many and won some new fans with their buccaneering spirit and positivity.”

Then came the second game at Parkstadion in Gelsenkirchen on 18 June 1974 against Yugoslavia. Remember the Zairean coach was a Yugoslav. Would nationalism triumph professionalism?

Mischief and chicanery

History shows that within the four days between the first and second games, “the wheels began to fall off Zaire’s campaign,” as Steve Charnock reported it. “Actually, that’s putting it mildly. The wheels exploded.”

President Mobutu, who had invited the Zairean squad to his personal residence to celebrate their 1974 AFCON win and bought them all houses and cars, decided to intervene. The Zairean team in West Germany had decided to go on strike because the money the President and FIFA had invested in their welfare and bonuses was not given to them.

The majority of the players decided not to play on 18 June against Yugoslavia. It is said that FIFA had to step in with 3,000 Deutsche Marks per player to encourage them to play and save the reputation of the tournament.

When the hour came, a crestfallen Zairean team reluctantly took to the field and lost 9-0 to Yugoslavia, which led 6-0 at half-time. It was a scandal that added to the disrespect that FIFA and the world had for Africa and its football. The ‘Blacks’ were confirming their negative stereotype after all.

According to Steve Charnock: “While [Zaire] were there in body, they were not there in spirit. The game quickly turned into a farce. It could be argued that Zaire ‘threw’ the game in protest. It could be argued that the stress and off-field nonsense resulted in tired players that hadn’t trained properly and weren’t properly focused and were severely lacking motivation. But what can’t be argued is that the game was an embarrassment to everyone concerned … It was a rout. Six-nil at halftime, it ended nine-nil.”

Zaire’s third game against Brazil was equally a farce. Brazil needed a 3-0 goal difference to qualify out of the group ahead of Scotland. Zaire’s Yugoslav coach did a deal with the Brazilians and allegedly ‘threw’ the match. Zaire dutifully lost 3-0. Scotland was scandalised.

West German defender Paul Breitner (R) tries to control the ball under pressure from Algerian midfiedler Mustapha Dahleb during the World Cup first round soccer match between West Germany and Algeria on June 16, 1982 in Gijon. Algeria won over West Germany 2-1. AFP PHOTO (Photo by AFP FILES / AFP)

As fate would have it, at the 1982 World Cup hosted by Spain, West Germany and Austria (two German-speaking nations) also threw their last group match to ensure that Algeria would not qualify.

It became known as the ‘Disgrace of Gijón’, the venue of the match. Algeria had caused “the greatest World Cup upset since North Korea beat Italy in 1966” by beating West Germany (the two-time world champions and reigning European champions) 2-1 in the opening group game, then lost to Austria 2-0, before beating Chile 3-2 in the third game.

As Algeria had played their final group game a day earlier, West Germany and Austria knew that a 1-0 or 2-0 win for West Germany would qualify both European teams and eliminate Algeria. So they allegedly threw the match played at the El Molinón Stadium in Gijón on 25 June 1982, which West Germany won 1-0.

“This performance,” as journalist George Vecsey puts it, “was widely deplored by all observers. West German ARD commentator Eberhard Stanjek at one point refused to commentate on the game any longer. Austrian commentator Robert Seeger bemoaned the spectacle and asked viewers to turn off their television sets.

“ El Comercio, the local newspaper, printed the match report in its crime section. Likewise, many spectators were not impressed and voiced their disgust with the players, while angry Algerian supporters waved banknotes at the players. One West German fan was so disgusted at the effort that he burned the national flag in protest.

“After the match, the West German team went back to their hotel where they were met by furious spectators who threw eggs and other projectiles at them. German and Austrian television commentators were so appalled at the match that they urged viewers on live television to stop watching the match and watch something else.”

There was no small scandal, forcing FIFA to decree that thenceforth the last group games would be played simultaneously to avoid the disgrace that fixed matches bring.

The story continues. Please keep a lookout for Part 4 of Baffour Ankomah’s study: Is the future of football Black?

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