Feet of the Chameleon: The Story of African Football by Ian Hawkey (Review)

Hawkey is one of the world’s premier experts on African football. He should be after living in four African countries and visiting another twenty-four while doing researching for this wonderful title.

Timing is everything in the publishing business. Dozens of World Cup titles will be available in the months leading up to the world’s most famous sporting event. Feet of the Chameleon: The Story of African Football is one of the best. It is a must read for anyone interested in African football or this year’s World Cup, the first on the African continent.

This text accurately captures the spirit and mystery of Africa’s beautiful game. The World Cup in South Africa has created a flurry of interest about the continent’s footballing history. This title is the answer to all of your questions. It is incredibly comprehensive and insightful, covering everything from politics to economics.

The colorful title comes from famous broadcaster Zama Masondo. He used to say “now let’s see it again with the feet of a chameleon” when referring to the use of instant replay. It tells us that we need to stop and take a better look at the game in Africa, learning to love and appreciate it. We all know Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, and Emmanuel Adebayor as the giants of this generation of African footballers. This book gives us an opportunity to better understand their careers and background. It will also help us understand the great players of the past and future players that will come out of this talented continent.

It provides a rare glimpse into the African game, which is one of the last frontiers of world football. Africa’s involvement in sports is often misunderstood, even though it is often called “a sleeping tiger on the world football scene”.

Reading this book will give you a deeper appreciation for the teams participating in the World Cup. It sure would be fitting for an African squad (South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast) to make it to the final round. The game there has come leaps and bounds since its inception and it is finally time for them to get the credit they deserve.  You can view the book’s official website or make a purchase at an online vendor.