African Soccer Trivia

1. One of the biggest attractions in the South African soccer calendar is the Soweto Derby. This is played between Orlando Pirates and which other team?

From Quiz A Passion for Orlando Pirates

Answer: Kaizer Chiefs

The Soweto Derby is one of the biggest sporting events in South Africa. It almost certainly guarantees a full house, with tickets being sold out well in advance due to the rivalry between these two teams. The first-ever Soweto Derby took place in 1971, being won 4-3 by Kaizer Chiefs. The rivalry between these two teams is intense with friends, colleagues, and families divided. The biggest ever tragedy took place in 2001 at Ellis Park (which is known as "The Park of Pain". Poor security and crowd control left in excess of 40 people dead.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: Egypt

Italy 1934: Egypt played only one game where they were beaten by Hungary (one of the world's best teams at the time) 4-2.

From Quiz Great African Soccer Players

Answer: Nigeria

From Quiz A Passion for Orlando Pirates

Answer: 1937

The Orlando Boys Club competed in the Johannesburg Bantu Football Association. The boys had no kit and played barefoot. The team took part in the league games, became the division two champions, and gained promotion to division one. One of the Orlando Boys Club players suggested a name change to Orlando Pirates, and this name change became official in the 1940s.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: Sudan

Only 3 teams participated in the first tournament, held in 1957 (Egypt won the title), Ethiopia, and the hosts Sudan.

From Quiz Great African Soccer Players

Answer: Liberia

From Quiz From the Nile to the Mersey

Answer: Crystal Palace

Eligible to represent three teams internationally, winger and aspiring grime MC Yannick Bolasie joined Everton in 2016, as one of the new signings by new manager Ronald Koeman. Unfortunately, much of Bolasie's time at Everton was spent on the bench or in recovery following an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which kept him on the sidelines for a year. He spent much of 2018 to 2021 on loan to various clubs, and left Everton in 2021 after Carlo Ancelotti made it clear that Bolasie did not feature in his plans for the squad. When Bolasie and Romelu Lukaku - who is also of Congolese descent - were both at Everton, they spoke Lingala, a Congolese dialect, to each other on the pitch. Like Lukaku, Bolasie comes from a footballing family; his cousins Lomana and Kazenga LuaLua and Trésor Kandol are also footballers. Outside football, he filmed a rap battle with Bradley Wright-Phillips, son of former Arsenal striker Ian Wright.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: Egypt, Ghana

Egypt won it in (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998), Ghana won it in (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982), Cameroon won it in (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002).

From Quiz Great African Soccer Players

Answer: Cameroon

From Quiz From the Nile to the Mersey

Answer: Borussia Dortmund

Steven Pienaar, nicknamed 'Schillo' after Italian footballer Totò Schillaci, initially was loaned to Everton by Dortmund during the 2007-08 season, before joining the following year. He rejoined Everton from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, again after spending a season on loan. During the later years of David Moyes' tenure, Pienaar and left-back Leighton Baines made a formidable partnership, although his career was plagued by injuries, particularly during Roberto Martinez's time at the club from 2013 to 2016. He was released by Everton in 2016 when his contract expired and, like former Everton team mates Victor Anichebe, Jack Rodwell, Darron Gibson, Bryan Oviedo and Joleon Lescott, he was reunited with Moyes at Sunderland during a catastrophic season. After retiring, he became an international ambassador for Everton.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: Issa Hayatou

Issa Hayatou is from Cameroon.

From Quiz Great African Soccer Players

Answer: South Africa

From Quiz From the Nile to the Mersey

Answer: Senegal

The temperamental El Hadji Diouf played for Liverpool from 2002 to 2005, along with compatriot Salif Diao. Although Gérard Houllier had high hopes for Diouf and he got off to a good start, his relationship with club and fans turned sour and he became notorious for spitting at opponents. He joined Bolton Wanderers in 2005. On a more positive note, Sadio Mané - signed from Southampton like his team mates Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana and Virgil van Dijk - became one of Liverpool's best and most important players under Jürgen Klopp, winning the African Footballer of the Year award in 2019 and featuring in both their 2019 Champions' League and 2020 title-winning squads. He also tied with two other Africans, his team mate Mohamed Salah and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, for the most goals scored in the 2018-19 season. On the other side of the park, Idrissa Gueye joined Everton from Aston Villa in 2016 and became a key player under Ronald Koeman and then Marco Silva, often holding the midfield together. Both he and France's Lucas Digne were awarded Everton's Player's Player of the Year in 2019. Later that year, he joined Paris St-Germain, and was greatly missed by Everton fans, with Silva failing to adequately replace him.

From Quiz A Passion for Orlando Pirates

Answer: The Ghost

Fans of Orlando Pirates used the symbolism of the skull and crossbones logo and started dressing as ghosts to show their support for the team. Many supporters also carry skeletons when attending games. The connection between the skeleton/skull and the ghosts of the dead earned the fans the nickname, The Ghost.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: Ali Ben Nasser

The now famous, or infamous, Tunisian referee is considered one of Africa's best referees, but it was still strange how this one slipped past him. None the less Maradona still managed to score another goal that took Argentina to the next stage, his second goal is considered by many football historians to be the best in World Cup history.

From Quiz Great African Soccer Players

Answer: Morocco

From Quiz From the Nile to the Mersey

Answer: Zimbabwe

The eccentric Liverpool goalie was born in South Africa, but grew up in Zimbabwe - or, as it was then known, Rhodesia - and represented them at an international level, as well as fighting for the Rhodesian Army during the Bush War, for 11 months in the late 1970s. Although he was also a talented cricketer as a boy, football won out and Liverpool signed him in 1981 from Vancouver Whitecaps as a replacement for the late, great Ray Clemence. Grobbelaar spent several years with the club, winning six titles, three FA Cups and a European Cup, and was present at both the Hillsborough and Heysel Stadium Disasters; he and his team mates attended the funerals of several of the Hillsborough victims' funerals. His time at Liverpool was marred by a fight with team mate Steve McManaman in a 1993 Merseyside Derby, and allegations of match-fixing, although he and fellow footballers Hans Segers and John Fashanu were cleared in 1997. The arrival of new goalie David James in 1992 saw Grobbelaar spending more time on the bench, and he left Liverpool for Southampton in 1994, before drifting around various English clubs until his retirement in 2007 at the ripe old age of fifty.

From Quiz A Passion for Orlando Pirates

Answer: Lesley Manyathela

Lesley Manyathela sadly passed away in a car accident in August 2003. Gift Loremi also passed away in a car accident in 2007, shortly before his 23rd birthday.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: Morocco

Morocco gave a great performance in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. They lost to Germany 1-0.

From Quiz Great African Soccer Players

Answer: Nigeria

From Quiz From the Nile to the Mersey

Answer: Kolo Toure

The Touré brothers were popular figures at Manchester City, where fans would sing their names to the tune of 2 Unlimited's 'No Limits'. Two years Yaya's senior, Kolo signed for Arsenal in 2002 - where he accidentally took out Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp AND Arsène Wenger in one notorious training session! - before joining City in 2009. Yaya joined him a year later and the brothers were part of Roberto Mancini's 2012 title-winning side. However, the Tourés found themselves on opposite sides when Kolo moved to Liverpool. Both brothers played for the Ivory Coast in the 2014 World Cup, but the tournament was marred by the death of their younger player Ibrahim from cancer, aged just 28. On retiring, Kolo went into coaching and was reunited with his old boss Brendan Rodgers at Celtic, before following him to Leicester City. He has spoken about hoping to inspire other African players to become coaches in the UK.

From Quiz A Passion for Orlando Pirates

Answer: Winning the African Champions Trophy

Orlando Pirates were the first South African team to win the African Champions Trophy in 1995.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: Cameroon

Roger Milla and his teammates put on a good show in Italia 90. Their surprising win over defending champions Argentina in the opening match made the way for more impressive wins. They lost to England in extra time 3-2. The Cameroonians left the 1990 World Cup after providing the world with a good show of football and some dancing tips from Roger Milla too. :)

From Quiz Great African Soccer Players

Answer: Zambia

From Quiz From the Nile to the Mersey

Answer: Djimi Traore

Although Sissoko did actually play for Liverpool (he joined in 2005), it was Traoré who got to be part of that unforgettable night in Istanbul. Signed in 1999, he captained the reserve team during 2003-04 and even came close to moving across the park, but ultimately stayed. When Rafa Benitez replaced the late Gérard Houllier in 2004, Traoré's career enjoyed something of a resurgence, an own goal against Burnley in the FA Cup aside. Although he conceded the free kick that led to Paolo Maldini's goal in the first minute, Traoré made up for his error by preventing Andriy Shevchenko from scoring with a goal line clearance. The following season, he found himself in competition for his place with John Arne Riise and Stephen Warnock, and departed for Charlton Athletic in 2006. After retiring, he became an assistant manager with Seattle Sounders in the USA.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: George Weah

The Liberian legend played for Italian giants AC Milan. He opened the door for other non-European players like Ronaldo to win this award.

From Quiz Great African Soccer Players

Answer: Ghana

From Quiz From the Nile to the Mersey

Answer: A military coup

Yes, this is a thing that happened! Although Keïta was playing during the coronavirus epidemic, it wasn't the disease that stopped play and resulted in him and his team mates being stuck in Guinea. During their match with Morocco, the then Guinean president Alpha Condé was captured and overthrown by the military in a coup d'état and the country's land and air borders were subsequently closed, while the constitution was dissolved by the military. The Moroccan squad were trapped in their hotel until they were given leave to exit the country under escort. Morocco and Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat posted footage of military forces roaming the streets on his Instagram, while coach Vahid Halilhodzic said the team could hear the gunfire in the streets. Meanwhile, Keïta and his team mates also returned home safely the following day.

From Quiz A Passion for Orlando Pirates

Answer: Black and White

Orlando Pirates kits have mainly been variations on a black and white theme, with a red interest added.

From Quiz African Soccer Facts

Answer: Al Ahly, Egypt

Al Ahly aka The Red Devils were chosen as African Club of the Century due to their great record. Al Ahly has won the Champions Cup twice, African Cup-Winners cup 3 times, and the Afro-Asian Cup once, a record that no other African team had matched.

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Last Updated Nov 16 2024 5:44 AM

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