Editorial: The Best Advert Money Can't Buy

Football is a passion in Africa. From Cape Coast to Cape Town to Cairo, football is a sport in which everyone, regardless of status and wealth can participate in. For millions of people in Africa, and many in Ghana itself, poverty is a daily reality- and for these, the importance of the beautiful game cannot be underestimated. Football has the ability to create unity out of division, joy from sadness and bring welcome respite from a continent bursting with life but burdened with problems.

Football is a source of pleasure and entertainment for millions unable to indulge in leisure pursuits out of the financial reach of many in Africa. The sport is still even more than merely a source of pleasure. For a lucky few it is also an escape from the problems that holds millions across the continent within it’s grasp.

All of Africa’s problems were forgotten on Saturday evening, the continent, a veritable ocean of humanity, was united as one behind our Black Stars. Expressions of jubilation, pride and emotion can only describe to a certain level, the raucous celebrations that enveloped all of Ghana. There is simply not enough superlatives to correlate the scenes witnessed across the country. The power of football should not be underestimated. Defeating the Czech Republic has changed the way Ghanaians think about themselves.

The last 20 minutes of Saturday’s enthralling and historic match turned into an ordeal for the Czech Republic, whose own quality should not go unnoticed. Ghana summoned all their forces in search of proof that they could turn their mesmerising approach work into the currency of goals and, ultimately, into their first victory in the finals of a World Cup.

Had efficiency been among our attributes, we would have won by half a dozen, but at least Ghana made more capital from their opportunities than while losing 2-0 to Italy and the success may help steady the forwards nerves as they take aim in future matches. Having provided the continent with the first win at the 2006 World Cup the Black Stars will fear no-one as they face the USA with a place in the second round at stake.

Black Stars defence deserves credit for a shut-out that looked on the cards even before the Czechs lost a man. Richard Kingston again produced several outstanding saves, while the overlapping ambitions of Zdenek Grygera were snuffed out by the attentions of Habib Mohamed who, at the age of 22, was winning only his second cap.

Sandwiched between the rejuvenated rearguard and an impossibly unpredictable strike force, Ghana’s four man midfield controlled the match and showed itself to be almost as much a thing of wonder as Argentina’s equivalent unit, although very different in style. With Appiah, the captain, at the apex of the diamond and Michael Essien at the base, width was provided by the adventurous Muntari and Otto Addo, the latter replaced to even better effect at half-time by the younger Derek Boateng. Compact, muscular and vigorous, the quartet supported each other diligently, interchanging at close quarters as they moved the ball upfield.

Black Star Midfielder John Paintsil may have baffled supporters with his celebrations (waving a small Israel flag) but that should not be viewed as a lack of patriotism. Painstil, a deeply religious and popular player with Israeli side Hapoel Te-Aviv, says it was for religious reasons. Let us not make a big deal out of this, as it is already happening by some over-zealous anti-Zionists elsewhere. His sterling performance on the pitch reflects his pride in representing the Black Stars – and that is all that matters to us.

Each Black Star is a hero, as Talal Fattal’s World Cup anthem goes, ‘they have climbed every mountain, crossed every river.’ You may hate his song but the words are true. Expectations have been exceeded, but this team knows no bounds. We have proven that we can compete with the best. The United States now stands between Ghana and a place in the second round, our chances are very much alive.

The United States is the global power in politics. The others are corporations that call the US their home: McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Hollywood’s movie studios, Microsoft, Google etc. Nothing against the US, but we should be grateful that at least one world power does not pursue globalisation as an all-American venture.

Football is Old Europe and New Europe. It is Brazil and the rest of Latin America, along with Africa, Asia, Australia, and the United States. It is the Islamic world. Every World Cup is a celebration of a happier globalisation than the one we all know. The nations of the world come together for a contest between peers, with no single party calling the shots. Football can be our role model for a just world order.