A rare visit to Africa

Willem Vissers
Wednesday 11 February 2009

Oranje in Africa, it's a rare feat.

Whether he has played in Africa? "Yes, once, with Young Oranje against Young Morocco," says Mark van Bommel.

And what about Robin van Persie? "Once, with Feyenoord U-16 during a tournament in Ivory Coast. We were taken apart by the national youth team, but we won 2-0. Two counters."

African football players come over to Europe in huge numbers, but Europeans hardly ever play in Africa.

Why should they?

Of the 676 games Holland have played only three were played on the 'dark continent'.

Twice it was for friendlies against Tunisia (1978 and 1994) and once in South Africa (1997), when Ruud Gullit came along especially to meet Nelson Mandela.

"In the darkest days of our nation Gullit has enlightened us," said the SAFA chairman Jordaan, now chairman of the organizing committee of the World Cup.

Gullit had dedicated his Golden Ball to Mandela in 1987.

Tonight in Radès, a suburb of Tunis, the Dutch national team are to play their fourth game on African soil and for the third time it's against Tunisia, in the stadium of the 7th of November, the day that president Ben Ali rose to power in 1987 (he is still on his throne).

It's not that the game in Tunis was picked looking forward to the World Cup in South Africa.

Tunisia only came into the picture when it appeared impossible to play a British opponent, preferred as Scotland are the next opponents in the World Cup qualification campaign.

When it comes to football Africa can roughly be split up in three parts.

Tunisia are in the islamic north and the country's league with clubs such as Etoile du Sahel and Espérance, was recently named the best organised league of the continent.

The league is a big contrast to those of western Africa where there is no money, chaos calls the shots and every young player wants to leave for Europe as soon as he can.

"I often talk about the life in Ivory Coast with Kolo Touré," says Van Persie.

"He supports his entire village. He often says that football was his escape route from the poverty and that he is now doing something in return. I remember how I found the situation in Abidjan was hard to digest. On the left there were the slumps, on the right the big mansions."

South Africa, where in 2010 the first World Cup on the continent takes place, is now trying to hook up to the level of organization in the north.

It's remarkable how often the northern countries end up on top during the continental championships while during the World Cup it's often the countries from the west such as Senegal, Nigeria and Ivory Coast who do best.

Still the big break through of the continent hasn't happened yet.

"Perhaps Africa will surprise the world during the World Cup," said Holland manager Bert van Marwijk.

Hans Vonk, former national goal keeper of South Africa and Ajax Cape Town, puts it like this: "Whenever they reach far into a tournament they get nervous and start complaining about money."

Van Persie is looking forward to the World Cup: "My GP is a South African. His stories get better every week. Yet I believe you have to be in before dark."

Van Persie refers to the expected crime.

Vonk says it isn't all that bad.

"I am a bit worried that the World Cup must be carried by the national team of South Africa. And South Africans don't go to see football just like that. Only clubs like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates draw in big crowds. In Capetown there are more fans of the Chiefs than there are of Ajax Cape Town."

Tonight the stadium might only be half filled. Kickoff (20h30) is unfortunate for most Tunisians who prefer playing in the afternoon when public life comes to a stop for a few hours.

Africans love football but it has to suit their daily routine.

Have a look at the head-to-head record.