Individualism is a belief in which a soccer player does things in his own way without worrying about what other players think or do. I am saying this because yesterday I watched Ghana played against Uruguay. The score ended up being Uruguay 4 and Ghana 2 in penalty. I have started to realize that African soccer will never reach the world stage standards unless we talk about some of the contributory factor that is leading to our downfall as a continent. This issue of individualism is mostly evident particularly by the strikers. We got a lot of opportunities but without scoring goals. This to me is a serious problem that I think we need to overcome. I support fully the saying that united we stand divided we fall.

I regard the game between Ghana and Uruguay as the last African hope. But our hopes were shattered by the spirit of individualism that we saw prevailing amongst the African players. I would like to single out the game played yesterday between Ghana and Uruguay. I felt very much perturbed because of the behavior of some of our Ghanaian striker by the name of Asamoah Gyan who fails to score the penalty that I referred to as manna from heaven. The way I saw him preparing to score the penalty I saw somebody who is not having the spirit of Africa within him. I think that even though you are regarded as an international player we must not be too individualistic in approach. I was so embarrassed that I slept without eating supper because of the very same game.

I am saying this because the words of our president Jacob Zuma are still echoing in my mind that we as the African continent must rally behind Ghana because other five teams’ including South Africa left their responsibility to Ghana. I was also rallying behind them wholeheartedly because they are my African team. I am not saying this because I have got personal vendetta against Gyan, not at all, I love him as the son of the soil but he disappointed us as a continent.

I think African players not all of them but some are playing to be famous, glorified and get an offer outside our continent. Africa must wake up and start to do something about this attitude of not being serious and playing as a team.

By Mukatoni Tshimangadzo Stanley.