A quick poring over of the multi-cultural French team reveals that many of its roots are deeply entrenched within the African continent.  In fact, 12 of the 23 players called to the French national team boast African ancestry spread across nine nations.

A detailed breakdown shows the defensive pair of Samuel Umtiti and Adil Rami hail from Cameroon and Morocco respectively and are joined by Senegal’s Benjamin Mendy, Djibril Sidibe as well as the Republic of Congo’s Presnel Kimpembe.  Among other options, French-Congolese goalkeeper Steve Mandanda is tasked with serving as back-up custodian to Hugo Lloris.

In midfield, Paul Pogba, whose parents hail from Guinea, Blaise Matuidi who is of Angolan and Congolese decent and N’Golo Kante of Malian heritage are the options to call on.  The attacking line-up features the pacy Ousmane Dembele (Senegal) and Nabil Fekir who has Algerian heritage.

A look at the England line-up reveal similar immigration-based anchorage but instead with strong Caribbean roots. Defenders Danny Rose, Kyle Walker and Ashley Young are all of Jamaica heritage as is the much-maligned midfielder/forward Raheem Sterling.  Forward Jesse Lindgard can trace his heritage back to St Vincent while Marcus Rashford’s family originate from St Kitts.  All told 11 of the 23 players are of Caribbean or African descent.

With such binding ties, broad support for the Three Lions within countries once considered part of the British Empire should be self-evident but the reality is far more complex.

The similarities between France and their European counterparts England does not end in the multi-cultural team chosen for the tournament.  They spill well beyond the white chalk-bounded boarders of the grassy battle fields to where their very existence has at the same time served as symbols of both division and unity.

Many have celebrated the selection of such teams as potent potions capable of mending the ills and scars of a colonial past, the opposite is true for the xenophobic fringes of both nations who see a team littered with people of culture as not a truly representative one.  For them the very sight of a unit so molded by the effects of diversity and immigration represents a horrific mosaic baldy in need of a whitewashing.

For others, multi-culturalism is only good as far as it can get you, a vehicle to success whose drivers will quickly be forgotten or derided should the target not be achieved.  Though existing outside of the domain of sports the Brexit vote, largely believed to be a vote against immigrants and immigration and the treatment of the Caribbean’s Windrush generation serve as hard reminders of the divide that exists in regard to the acceptance of diversity.

For England first-generation Jamaica-born Sterling has borne the brunt of vitriolic abuse in a stormy relationship with the English fan base and the media.  The twinkle-toed winger has often found himself revered and praised when things go well, but the centre of attention for seemingly innocuous circumstances from purchasing a new house for his mother, to a gun tattoo, recently inked on his right foot.

IMAGE: Dejected members of England’s World Cup team.

For more on this story go to: https://www.sportsmax.tv/index.php/all-international/item/13198-they-ve-going-home-and-none-too-soon-why-the-caribbean-never-got-behind-england