Although I can’t claim to have carried out any scientific data collection on the subject, it seems that 30 days of 24/7 media exposure may not have been enough for fresh African motifs to permeate the Great Wall of Western Media Clichés.

With only 2 matches to go, apart from a few condescending pieces on Gauteng’s “Black Diamonds”, I don’t recall the World Cup being used as a backdrop for any major features on the various hubs of tech innovation in Africa, or the spread of mobile money solutions, or the fact that mobile phone penetration in Africa has finally passed the 50% mark.

But photo essays of dirty, forlorn looking children in rags playing with home-made footballs (fashioned from condoms, straw and plastic bags). Now that’s more like it! Especially if your photo essay can be be published in the New York Times under a headline as crass and trite as, “To Those With Nothing, Soccer is Everything”.

Photo credit: Jessica Hilltout

Yes, Les Lions Indomptables (The Indomitable Lions) are out and Paul Rys, writing for the Al Jazeera Africa Blog, doesn’t pay them any compliments.

“A certain myth has grown up around Cameroon in the past 20 years since reaching the quarter-finals of the Italia 1990 World Cup. Much like the myth that England are a major footballing power, the perception is that the “Indomitable Lions” are giants of African football – a flagship for the continent. This was a record sixth appearance at a World Cup finals for an African nation. And what is their best showing? That quarter-final defeat to England in Naples.”

exiledsoul:

bananaboattimes:

SAD FACE :(  … Cameroon is Out of the World Cup

:(

“The Happiest Losers Ever (Ghana vs Germany) Celebrations via Nana Kofi Acquah”

“Chosen Few, South Africa’s only openly gay female football team, was created in 2004 by the Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW) to fill a void for many of the passionate, soccer-loving women who attended their sessions but who had been expelled from their township teams because of their sexuality.”

Source: CNN

A different kind of soccer World Cup will be held in Argentina in October. The city of Crespo plays host to the 2010 Amputee Football World Cup.

Not surprisingly African teams are well represented in international amputee soccer competitions. A large player pool is an unwelcome side effect of civil wars, regional conflicts and brutal ethnic violence.

This year’s World Cup was originally slated for last year but the host city of Novo Friburgo in Brazil withdrew its support at the last minute much to the dismay of the teams scheduled to compete.

“teams around the world lost thousands of dollars in non-refundable airline tickets, damaging the reputations of national amputee football associations around the world, and worst of all, crushing the hopes of players who dreamed of competing in a world championship tournament.”

Ghana are the current African champions but Sierra Leone are considered one of the favorites for this year’s World Cup.

Photo courtesy of Justin Hane.