a écrit le 7 mai 2010 à 8h43 It's safe to assume that come the Champions League final on 22 May, Africans will be largely rooting for one team - Inter Milan.
Founded with the aim of being open to foreigners, FC Internazionale remain true to their origins with not just a variety of Europeans and South Americans but three Africans as well - in contrast to Bayern Munich's zero.
And though Cameroonians, Ghanaians and Kenyans will be screaming loudest for their stars - Samuel Eto'o, Sulley Muntari and McDonald Mariga respectively - there'll also be enormous continental backing for Jose Mourinho.
This is largely because of Chelsea's popularity in Africa, a support base the Portuguese definitely grew, but it's also because the Inter coach has always given Africans a chance.
Having started his climb to the top of the European ladder with FC Porto, a key moment in their stunning 2004 Champions League success was knocking out of Manchester United - with South Africa's Benni McCarthy, then in fine fettle as opposed to today's fuller figure, scoring twice in the 3-2 aggregate win.
Once ensconced in west London, the 'Special One' busily snapped up African footballers who most fans barely knew. Under his watch, the big names still at Stamford Bridge today - Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, John Mikel Obi and Salomon Kalou - were both bought and brought to the fore.
Now the same thing is happening again at Inter. Muntari was already there when Mourinho arrived, but the master tactician has since signed Eto'o and Mariga.
The Portuguese is obviously not the only top-level Champions League coach to field such players, names like Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola springing to mind, but his appreciation of Africans is certainly a two-way street for the continent relishes his swagger and refusal to be cowed. Throw in the fact that Mourinho's wife was born in Angola, and it's easy to understand why he has so many African fans.
While Mourinho was certainly Wednesday's big winner, Eto'o wasn't far behind.
Despite all his successes with Barcelona - winning two Champions League titles and three La Ligas - his final year or so must have felt like one of rejection. After Pep Guardiola failed to offload him in the summer of 2008, the lithe striker responded in blistering style - scoring nearly 40 goals.
Nonetheless, at the end of a season when Barca won their historic treble, the Cameroonian was still deemed surplus to requirements and was, as jaws fell across the world, swapped with Inter for Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Founded with the aim of being open to foreigners, FC Internazionale remain true to their origins with not just a variety of Europeans and South Americans but three Africans as well - in contrast to Bayern Munich's zero.
And though Cameroonians, Ghanaians and Kenyans will be screaming loudest for their stars - Samuel Eto'o, Sulley Muntari and McDonald Mariga respectively - there'll also be enormous continental backing for Jose Mourinho.
This is largely because of Chelsea's popularity in Africa, a support base the Portuguese definitely grew, but it's also because the Inter coach has always given Africans a chance.
Having started his climb to the top of the European ladder with FC Porto, a key moment in their stunning 2004 Champions League success was knocking out of Manchester United - with South Africa's Benni McCarthy, then in fine fettle as opposed to today's fuller figure, scoring twice in the 3-2 aggregate win.
Once ensconced in west London, the 'Special One' busily snapped up African footballers who most fans barely knew. Under his watch, the big names still at Stamford Bridge today - Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, John Mikel Obi and Salomon Kalou - were both bought and brought to the fore.
Now the same thing is happening again at Inter. Muntari was already there when Mourinho arrived, but the master tactician has since signed Eto'o and Mariga.
The Portuguese is obviously not the only top-level Champions League coach to field such players, names like Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola springing to mind, but his appreciation of Africans is certainly a two-way street for the continent relishes his swagger and refusal to be cowed. Throw in the fact that Mourinho's wife was born in Angola, and it's easy to understand why he has so many African fans.
While Mourinho was certainly Wednesday's big winner, Eto'o wasn't far behind.
Despite all his successes with Barcelona - winning two Champions League titles and three La Ligas - his final year or so must have felt like one of rejection. After Pep Guardiola failed to offload him in the summer of 2008, the lithe striker responded in blistering style - scoring nearly 40 goals.
Nonetheless, at the end of a season when Barca won their historic treble, the Cameroonian was still deemed surplus to requirements and was, as jaws fell across the world, swapped with Inter for Zlatan Ibrahimovic
