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Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0002-0613-3897

Abstract

Football in Africa, as a legacy of European colonialism, is undeniable. The export of football through colonization resulted in the popularization of the sport while also creating a system of economic exploitation and impoverishment that is the cause of considerable problems for African society. This economic system positioned African  countries as dependents of former colonizers even after achieving independence. Sports, specifically football, provide a unique perspective to explore the no-win     situation in which Africa exists within the global economic system. Always chasing the elusive ‘development’ goal that is dictated by others and shifts without the interests of African countries. The offside trap exemplifies the phenomenon of "shifting" development that is untenable for some. Using this analytical perspective illustrates a system constructed by external powers that is often detached from African realities, keeping the continent in a reactive and marginalized position. Through this football metaphor, we can understand how colonization enforced assimilation and erected structural barriers that continue to ensure the hegemony of former colonial powers. The solutions must be African, creating space for innovation. Informal economic systems exemplify how African countries adapted to the needs of the people, ensuring resilience and survival. Thus, genuine liberation requires Africa to move beyond reactive participation in externally defined systems and instead pursue decolonization through the reclamation and adaptation of indigenous cultural practices, much like the regional embrace of Kabaddi in Asia, as a pathway toward autonomous and self-defined development in and beyond sport.

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