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Football's 'global apartheid' doesn't start with Pitso

Africa has had fair share of discrimination against its performers

Nkareng Matshe Sports editor
Pitso Mosimane, coach of Al Ahly holds trophy during the 2021 CAF Champions League Final.
Pitso Mosimane, coach of Al Ahly holds trophy during the 2021 CAF Champions League Final.
Image: BackpagePix

It was then president Thabo Mbeki who referred to “global apartheid” when bemoaning the persistent world inequalities at a UN Earth Summit two decades ago.

While Mbeki’s speech focused more on economic matters, when he pointed out that the gap between the haves and have-nots was widening to reflect apartheid SA where a minority accumulated illicit wealth at the expense of a destitute majority, I couldn’t help but think world football today is mirroring the image he painted then.

This more so after Pitso Mosimane’s comments in the New York Times, the US newspaper which questioned the Al-Ahly coach’s omission from Fifa’s “The Best” awards held this week.

There’s no question that Mosimane, with his achievements since leaving Mamelodi Sundowns for the Egyptian giants in 2020, which include two CAF Champions League titles and third place at the Fifa Club World Cup, is a definite victim of “global apartheid”.

Forget that he didn’t make the top three nominees for the best coaches in the world, with eventual winner Thomas Tuchel of Chelsea, nominated against Italy’s Roberto Mancini and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola. As the Times wondered, it’s mystery that Mosimane did not make even the top 10, which had the likes of Diego Simeone of La Liga champions Atletico Madrid and Antonio Conte, who won Serie A with Inter Milan.

Tuchel triumphed because he led Chelsea to Uefa Champions League glory. But that he had not even started the campaign – having taken over from Frank Lampard early last year – seemingly didn’t matter to the voting panel.

Contrast that with Mosimane’s record, having left Sundowns in September 2020 to arrive at Ahly amid heightened scepticism. Then, the Egyptians were in the CAF Champions League semifinals but Mosimane had been told to win it, something Ahly hadn’t done since beating Orlando Pirates in the 2013 final. He duly delivered and, a few months later, landed them an historic bronze medal from the Club World Cup in Qatar.

It was Africa’s first medal from the competition since Raja Casablanca attained silver in the 2013 edition.

Mosimane then embarked on a mission to defend the Champions League with Ahly, and it wasn’t an easy journey. Ahly came second in their group behind Simba, which exerted even more pressure on him, but again he prevailed, beating Kaizer Chiefs comprehensively in the final to make it two titles in less than a year.

We must, however, not act shocked that he was overlooked because this “global apartheid” phenomenon has been perpetual. It doesn’t end with coaching nominations, unfortunately. The whole process of deciding on the best performers in world football has been deeply flawed, as seen this week with the FIFPro World XI.

How come Edouard Mendy won the best keeper award but didn’t make the said XI? Yet the Senegalese’s two teammates, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante, made the team. Egypt’s Mohamed Salah was a nominee alongside Lionel Messi and eventual winner Robert Lewandowski for the best player award, but the Liverpool man didn’t make the XI. It defies logic.

A look at the past World XIs reveals a very disturbing entrenchment of bias towards Europe and South America. Not a single African has featured in that side since Didier Drogba in 2007. Samuel Eto’o made both the 2005 and 2006 teams.

When Africa has over the years had consistent top performers in top leagues like Yaya Toure, Riyaad Mahrez, Salah and Sadio Mane, you know there’s something sinister denying the continent its place in the sun.

Change has to come, and a conversation about that change must be driven by the enforcers and the beneficiaries, in this case the West. The New York Times’ article on Pitso was hopefully the start of many in righting the wrongs of this continued discrimination afflicting the world game.

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