THE 2014 FIFA World Cup finals are already in full swing and Africa is pinning its hopes of glory on the five representatives from the continent.
One of Algeria, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria is for the first time expected to bring the coveted World Cup to the continent.
The best we have done so far is to go as far as the quarter finals, although Ghana were seconds away from getting to the semi-finals in the last World Cup finals held in South Africa.
But this is not to say Africa does not have brilliant footballers.
European clubs whose countries have won the coveted trophy on most occasions shine, in part, because of the presence of African players.
It’s not long ago when Liberian George Weah was voted the best football player in the world.
Contemporary stars like Ivorians Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba and Ghana’s Asamoh Gyan and Michael Essien are in the same class as potential World Cup winners like Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
In fact, after realising the potential of African footballers, many have been naturalised into Europeans.
This explains why the French national side usually gives the impression that it is a team from Africa because of the complexion of most of its players.
Jerome Boateng whose brother plays for Ghana, is accepted as a German purely because of his soccer skills.
The same applies to Mario Balloteli, who is a victim of constant racial abuse because most Italians doubt that the pitch black footballer is one of their kind.
So it seems the problem is not within the DNA of African players
Probably because of colonisation, most black players might have a tendency to love their European clubs more than their mother countries.
Take a player like Ghana’s Essien for example.
When at his peak playing for Chelsea, he was not at all enthusiastic to play for his national team, but was prepared to put his life on line for club.
Do we have to go as far as Ghana?
When our own national players are called to camp, the usual pattern is that foreign based players are usually very slow and casual in responding.
We also doubt the authenticity of the injuries most usually claim as excuses for turning down the chance to play for their country.
We also doubt if some of our national team players know the words of our national anthem, let alone its meaning.
We have even noticed some of our national team players not singing the national anthem before a national game, with some even giggling.
These are some of the unfortunate offshoots of the colonial legacy, whereby people are socialised not to be patriotic.
We want to believe that successive World Cup finals must by now have instilled the spirit of patriotism within our players.
It was gratifying recently to hear Yaya Toure complaining that he was not getting the recognition he deserved just because he was an African.
This World Cup, where Cote d’Ivoire, on paper, is in a relatively easier initial group, should give Yaya Toure a chance to prove that what the Europeans can achieve Africa also can.
As we follow proceedings in Brazil, Zimbabweans, no doubt, already have their minds on Qatar who are hosting the next World Cup finals in 2018.
If at some point we have beaten countries like Algeria, Ghana and Cameroon who are representing Africa in Brazil, why can’t it be our turn in Qatar?
Perhaps we can show Africa, how patriotism can bring the best out of our footballers.
Meanwhile, we wish good luck to the African teams battling for World Cup honours in Brazil.