Religion, football and feminism: Lessons from the Beautiful Game
Nigeria players celebrate their victory against Australia after the end of their Women's World Cup football match at Brisbane Stadium in Brisbane, Australia on July 27, 2023. PHOTO | PATRICK HAMILTON | AFP
Independent consultant and blogger in Dar es Salaam
I was alerted about the Women’s World Cup by a football fanatic in my life. It was such a treat, until I was reminded that I was one of their first “coaches.”
Let’s just say I am happy that they found much more talented people to help them build up their skill as their passion for the “Beautiful Game” continues to grow. Due to the time difference, we did not watch the opening ceremony, nor any of the opening matches.
Also, none of the African teams were playing an opening match, which pretty much sealed it.
Zambia was the first African team to play. In the build-up to the match, I got into a discussion with my mentee and let’s just say I might have been perturbed that they weren’t getting how hard it is for women to play football. So, I sent him an article from The Guardian UK explaining the financial travails of the Zambian women’s football team and it did the trick.
Religion, football, feminism, a sense of justice? They all take a little effort on the part of the teacher. You have to lay some foundations to allow for the potential to flourish.
In the event, I am writing this on the day that Zambia has lost to Germany 0-5.
I am determined to support all the African teams until we are routed from the tournament, after which there is a set of principles by which I will select which teams to support in the remaining matches. The one constant is that I simply cannot root for the United States to win yet again. They are a magnificent team from a country that has done incredible service to women’s football. This is entirely political.
My mentee is more sanguine and perhaps more honest about the tournament.
They are supporting the teams they like and the teams they consider deserving of their admiration.
I am envious of their purity of purpose — so young, so unburdened by it all. It makes our discussions interesting: I have to roll back because I politicise everything and could use a chill pill. They need to become more conscious of the currents of power, post-colonialism, gender, et cetera. Somehow we still manage to enjoy the matches and each others’ company. I am learning a lot.
About my intentions and capacities as a mentor, failures and successes. About children and youth and how gender fits into the discussion of masculinity. What the current environment is, what fears I have, and which ones to definitely not transmit.
I coughed up a new-to-the-household term: Intergenerational. We have been amazed and intrigued by the Asian teams, and I was the beneficiary of a brief lecture by my mentee, who has been tracking Fifa and their interest in China and Asia.
I remembered that my old professor retired this year. Sociology of Sports was one of his courses. Another faint regret: I would have taken that class as well as communications had I known. Thankfully, he taught me enough to know that sports science might interest a fanatic who also loves engineering.
Here we are, two generations, watching the WWC2023 on a whole other level: Body, mind, social consciousness and personal growth. That is beautiful, thanks to the game.
How’s your World Cup going?
Elsie Eyakuze is an independent consultant and blogger for The Mikocheni Report; Email [email protected]
