The Journey of Professional Football Career: Challenges and Reflections

Abstract

The problem of corruption and mismanagement of state resources by governments in Africa has impoverished the continent, throwing many families into daunting challenges. The youth, consequently, is underpowered and unproductive to self-support their own social lives. To accomplish their dreams, some youths turn to social groups through football. This study analyzes the profile of a boy enduring several challenges in search for survival at a tender age. The social activity of football eventually supported the boy’s reintegration in the streets. Relying on social integration theory and interviews, this study exposes how African youths attempt to achieve self-reliance through football in the communities. Findings reveal how the boy’s experiences on the street and in Europe reshaped his livelihood and support for society. Further description of the boy’s lived experience and his socioeconomic contributions to society is outlined.

The transnational prosocial activities of elite African footballers: an exploratory study of the costs and the benefits

“…Support for family and friends has also been argued to represent an investment that may yield economic benefits for the player in the future, either through direct income or reduced dependency of family and friends (Ungruhe & Agergaard, 2021;Ungruhe & Agergaard, 2020). Prosocial acts may also serve as an avenue for job opportunities at the end of the athletic career (Acheampong, 2020;Acheampong, 2019;Ungruhe & Agergaard, 2021). From the foregoing, prosocial behaviour carries both costs and benefits that may elicit either negative or positive outcomes and impact on the quality of life of the performer.…”

Understanding sports betting among young male student-teachers in Ghana

“…(Acheampong, 2020(Acheampong, , 2019Acheampong et al, 2019;Stewart & Zack, 2008). Beyond that, betting among friends may be a norm or social behaviour culturally accepted by peers (Acheampong, 2021;Acheampong et al, 2019;Lamont & Hing, 2018).…”

“…They have also endorsed greater sensation seeking and may experience a loss of control over their gambling behaviours (Shumlich et al, 2017). The sole difference from professional bettors is that they show emotional attachment to their leisure activity because of their habit and social norm (Acheampong, 2021(Acheampong, , 2019Lamont & Hing, 2018). Participants may exhibit Weber's (1978) four categories of rationality.…”