“Natural Born Sportsmen”. Processes of Othering and Self-Charismatization of African Professional Footballers in Germany

Abstract

At first sight, the perception of African footballers in Germany seems to be two-fold. Whereas amateur players may face racist assaults during matches time and again, open racism in professional German football has declined. Indeed, African players in the Bundesliga are frequently celebrated by fans and are icons of their clubs. However, this paper argues that the cheering of star players and forms of open racism during amateur matches are often only two extremes of a continuum since professional African footballers continue to be socially constructed as being different. Ascriptions of playing styles as elegant, powerful, and playful reflect alleged natural differences and manifest the otherness of African players. The article analyzes the historical construction of this manifestation and also discusses to what extent ascribed otherness is adopted by African footballers as a kind of "self-charismatization."

‘The ball and the rhythm in her blood’: Racialised imaginaries and football migration from Nigeria to Scandinavia

“…Per here presents an understanding of what it is that makes European and North American 'more similar' to Scandinavian players than African and South American, by drawing on common football stereotypes of African and South American football as being childish and amateurish, and European football as disciplined and tactical (Lanfranchi and Taylor, 2001;Ungruhe, 2013). Although Per acknowledges the stereotypical nature of this statement, he nevertheless presents white-majority Western countries as forming a stable group, united by shared approaches to, and talents for, football.…”

Ambivalent Precarity: Career Trajectories and Temporalities in Highly Skilled Sports Labor Migration from West Africa to Northern Europe

“…Beyond this, transnational African soccer players are confronted with specific precarious conditions and experiences in most European leagues through the processes of racial Othering. Even when being recognized as highly skilled international athletes, dominant ascriptions of specific ethnic qualities tend to downgrade African players (Engh et al ; Esson ; Ungruhe ).…”

“…The ambivalent processes of recognition and racialization are made apparent when European club leaders and coaches describe their considerations about recruitment and retention of players. Here phrases of admiration for specific skills of African soccer players are uttered, along with racial categorizations of Africans as naturally strong, hard‐working, and playful yet primitive and naïve (Engh et al ; Ungruhe ). These perceptions are in alignment with precolonial and colonial understanding of evolutionary worldviews according to which Africans can be perceived to be on a general lower level of development.…”

“…On the one hand, African soccer players are described as tactically immature and undisciplined, reproducing perceptions of an ethnic inferiority. On the other hand, African players are perceived as a homogeneous group with outstanding technical skills and strength (Ungruhe ).…”

“…For instance, notions of Africa as a “gold mine” of “love of the ball, elegance and passion for playing” are frequent expressions among them (Thielke , 44; translation from German original by the authors). Moreover, African players have been seen to embody understandings of race according to which they present themselves as natural athletes (Esson ; Ungruhe ). This self‐styling or “self‐charismatization” as an African player may help players negotiate a higher status and increase bargaining power when securing a contract with a club as an individual player.…”