World Cup football in South Africa is merely a week old and already we have had thrills and spills. Most games have been highly contested, emphasising how closely contested the teams are.

The fans of South Africa have been phenomenal creating an electrifying atmosphere, but World Cup in South Africa means more to some than just football.

This week I have been educated day after day by two of my colleagues who are extremely passionate about African football. Oladepo Frederick and Shuaib Worrell, both Social Studies teachers and part-time footballers (ha, ha), have a different perspective about the World Cup as they share why this World Cup is special to the world and not just about football.

First, I spoke with Oladepo Frederick, a former footballer who recently went to Africa and witnessed the African Nations Cup, thus gaining first hand knowledge of the teams and their potential.

Q: What team do you support and why?

A: I support Ghana because they play composed, attractive soccer. My favourite player of the 2006 World Cup, Stephen Appiah, plays for them. The Ghana players exhibit passion and unity in their team. I like their nickname, the 'Black Stars'; it reminds me of Marcus Garvey's ship company, the Black Star Line.

Q: You went to Africa for a period of time and watched the African Nations Cup, give us a brief overview of your experience.

A: While in Africa, I saw the entire African Nations Cup tournament on television. The final between Ghana and Egypt was a great game and it is unfortunate Egypt did not make the World Cup. The tournament is a great sporting spectacle and it would enhance our football and cultural scope if the western world were able to see the African teams play more frequently.

I think the lack of visibility and promotion of African soccer hurts them as there is less exposure and respect garnered towards them, and also hurts us (the viewers) because we remain out of touch with the actual progress that the African continent is making. Ironically, since the distribution of the European leagues is so strongly promoted, many Africans are more familiar with players in Europe, rather than players in the African continent. However, everything has its time and Africa is the future of development and progress in life.

Q: As a Social Studies teacher what does it mean to you to be able to witness South Africa hosting the World Cup?

A: As a Social Studies teacher and as an African, it gives me a great feeling of pride and joy to witness the World Cup being played on African soil. However, isn't it ironic that South Africa, once the bastion of apartheid, is the African nation hosting it? I think so, but it is reality. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the other African nations that haveachieved independence since the 1960s are chosen to host the World Cup in the future? Hopefully, this will occur, along with an increase in the number of African teams in the World Cup. At present, it should be noted that in the African qualification for the World Cup, the runners-up in each group do not play in play-offs like the teams from various regions. I think this is unfair and would like to see FIFA level the playing/qualification format. Go Mama Africa!

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Next I talked with another colleague of mine who is extremely passionate about African football and their people. Mr. Shuaib Worrell, a former Boulevard player and current Social Studies teacher. He shares with us what this World Cup means to him as it means more than just football.

Q: First of all, which World Cup team do you support and why?

A: I support all of the African teams. I wish each team the greatest success at the World Cup. I support these teams for reasons beyond just football The World Cup is one of sport's greatest team tournaments. Sports has always had a central role in society both ancient and modern. Consequently, sports have long served as a barometer for the development of certain genre within a community or country.

Q: What is the significance of this World Cup to Africans?

A: I want to see an African team win because I want Africa to bask in the glory of winning a World Cup. There are many layers to a society, and sports is an important one of them. When the records of a country's glorious past are spoken of, World Cup victories are included. It is very important that the image of Africa be repaired from the slanderous propaganda campaign that has dominated its western media coverage. The World Cup can be a crucial step in doing just that.

Q: As a Social Studies teacher what can you tell Bermudians about the history of Africa that could make them see Africa from a different light outside of football?

A: The world we live in has been so duped that the image of a group of African men jumping in triumph, not impoverished, not starving, not battling HIV, not involved in a civil war, who can be flashed across television screens for the next 10 years will do its part to resurrect the standing of Africa and her people. It hurts me to know that so many Bermudians that have a strictly Caribbean and African Heritage support European teams. Is the World Cup so veiled by football that we can't appreciate the nuances associated with each win and loss in the tournament? The people and culture of a place are represented by the ambassadors it sends out in its name. For my part I support and fancy those World Cup teams that are made up of those who originate from the same land I do and have the same pre 16th century experience that I do. I want to see those who are inextricably linked with me do good at the World Cup. As a matter of fact I want to see Africa progress in all noble areas of human endeavour.

When I hear people of African descent say that they want Spain or Portugal or England or Netherlands or who have you, to win I am compelled to remind them that if not for the teams they support than the World Cup would have been but a series of bus rides away. I see this disassociation from Africa in so many ways. I asked a class of 13-year-olds of mixed descent what they are (in terms of the land they most identify with). Every white child responded with the country or place of origin of their pre Bermuda ancestry. All the black children (every single one) responded with Bermuda. Good or bad? I won't say. It does show that many of us are only anchored in 50-400 years of human history, I am going to assume that the next person of African descent that tells me that they are not for an African team in the World Cup is the same person that goes to their child's sports and cheers for the fastest child even when that child is not their own.

As you can see this World Cup means more than just football to some. Let the truth be told when I watched the opening match with Mexico and South Africa I was backing Mexico to beat South Africa. However, as I started watching the game and listening to the horns being blown and looking into the eyes of the African people in the stands I could see their passion, their pride and their love and appreciation of being given such a gracious opportunity to host such an event I couldn't help but root for South Africa. Since which even though I am an England fan, I cheer on all African teams as I realise this means more to them than just football.

The great Pele once said that he can see an African team winning World Cup by the year 2000. Could this be the year when history is made, some ten years on. If this is to come true Ivory Coast and Ghana are the best hope. If either one of these teams could go on to actually win the World Cup it would be an amazing feat, not just for African people, but for football as a whole.