Anglomania - Issue 11, The World Cup Edition by mo sow

STREET. FASHION. SPORT. ISSUE 11. MAY 25. £10

WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA HOME OF THE WORLD CUP

JERMAINE JENAS WORLD CUP BACKSTAGE Featuring PUMA UNITY EXPERIENCE / PELE / MESSI / RONALDO / KAKA / ETO’O / DROBGA / TORRES / ROONEY / VAN PERSIE / PINEAAR / SAGNA / ETUHU / USAIN BOLT / AMIR KHAN / JAMES DEGALE / DJIMON GASTON HOUNSOU / Photo Editorial AARON MOKOENA (Satashi Minakawa) / ALEX SONG / BENOIT ASSOU-EKOTTO / BACARY SAGNA (Magnus Ekstrom)

ANGLOMANIA MAG PO BOX 206, 77 BEAK STREET, SOHO, LONDON W1F 9DB PUBLISHER Edu Leopold EDITOR IN CHIEF & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Mo Galy Sow mo@anglomania-mag.com WEB EDITOR Gemma Kane gemma@anglomania-mag.com DEPUTY EDITOR Nick Dines nick@anglomania-mag.com ART & DESIGN Kelly Hogarth kelly@anglomania-mag.com PHOTOGRAPHY Satoshi Minakawa, Magnus Ekstrøm, Dominic Marley, Ben Hopper, Karina Lidia, Mark Shearman CONTRIBUTORS Yasuhiro Takehisa, Nurali Kushkov, Malkit Singh, Anders Fauerby, Maud Frisenfeldt, Mathias Ribe, Thomas Ibsen, Philiipa Ronald, Sarah Young, Jon Laidlow, Oliver whitehead, Sam May, Alex Lambrechts, Roberto Aguilar, Yin Lee @ Premier Hair and Make Up, Antonio De Luca, Andy Knight Studio, Akiko Kumagai, Mel Booth @ Select, Elina Alminas @ FM, Sigail Currie @ Elite, Kathleen Burbridge @ Premier, Tom Andrew, Tom Hull, Ai Kamoshita, Haruki Okuyama, Toru Hosaka @ IINO Productions, Sreya, Henry Kingsford, Laura MacFadyen, Mike Baptiste Christian Schleisner, Zenia Jæger, Nicolaj/ Scoop models, Sylvester/ Unique models, Jane Stig, Louisa Duran PUBLICATION DIRECTOR alain lecour@exportpress paris FINANCE AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS Michael Scott Carter PRODUCTION MANAGER Edd Newcombe ACCOUNTS Robert Shafran WEBMASTER James Hamilton INFO info@anglomania-mag.com PRINT epc direct DISTRIBUTION domestic comag international; export press ISSN 1758-9827

All images and image makers are listed. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval systems, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic , mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. All releases are the responsiblity of the contributer. Anglomania is in no way responsible or liable for the accuracy of the information contained herein nor for any consequences arising from its interpretation. All of the above activities shall be subject to English Law.

CONTENTS

ISSUE

6. NIKE SHAMAN Sportswear 8. World Cup Trophy 10. ‘Lace Up. Save Lives’with DIDIER DROGBA 20. FABIO CAPELLO 28. The World Champions Collection from UMBRO 38. NELSON MANDELA 40. PELE 42. World at their Feet by NICK DINES 50. Anglomania meets AARON MOKOENA 60. Anglomania meets ALEX SONG 62. Anglomania meets DICKSON ETUHU 64. SAMUEL ETO’O

72.

African Arenas by THOMAS HOEFFGEN 90. Anglomania meets JAMES DEGALE 96. AMIR KHAN 98. Anglomania meets STEPH GILMORE 112. African Unity Experience 118. African Unity Concert

ART

SPORT

FASHION

PEOPLE

STREET

MUSIC

In a typically, absolutely non-typical Zoltar Projects-way, the cult design label turned art collective are unveiling their latest Nike Sportswear project, Nike Sham onto what will be an incredibly inspired, sport x art installation. The Nike and Zoltar’s collaborative project will be on public display from Friday 4th June 2010 Old Londinium, all experts were baffled at the relevance of this stadium saturated in emotion and glory. Upon further rigorous subatomic analysis and clo amphitheatres were used for mass gatherings, broadcast to every corner of the globe. These pantheons of the ancients, channelled human emotions - faith, b honoured clash between good and evil, the congregation’s tribal colours a testament to the devotion of their choosing. This phenomena crossed global politica Like the earth itself, the focus of spiritual nirvana was a pitch of green. On its altar was a football. While engaged in the mass ritual of the gam stops on the intercity to glory. Further examination revealed that within these highly organised and emotional gatherings were spiritual guides who ac four years they would meet to re-enact the tournament of the ages, with only one emerging victorious.” 6

Nike and Zoltar’s collaborative project will be

man. From 3rd June you will see 5 looming figures appear in spots around the Nike 1948 Stadium, Shoreditch-based store / gallery, and here’s a heads up 0 to Monday 7th June. “When the anthropological technicians of the 25th century discovered the most important architectural relic of the 21st century in north one replication scenarios they made some startling discoveries about the 21st century’s truly global, spiritual phenomena. The football temples—these open-air elief and hope into the hope of the grail; the coming together of nations and emerging as the champions of the world. The congregation met in the time al and social boundaries, in the city of Rangoon, monks remains have been found whose devotion was clearly marked by the Brazilian shirt he was clutching. me, the faithful would emerge themselves in the full emotional and psychological rollercoaster. Ecstasy, sorrow, joy, frustration, pain and victory were all ted as a human catalyst between the Gods of victory and football. These were the Shaman, united under the swoosh and this is their story. Every

e on public display from Friday 4th June 2010 to Monday 7th June 2010 at Nike’s 1948 Stadium; Arches 477-478, Bateman’s Row, London, EC2A 3HH. 7

The Jules Rimet Trophy (awarded 1930 - 1974) The Jules Rimet Trophy was the original prize for winning the World Cup. Originally called “Victory”, but generally known simply as the World Cup or Coupe du Monde, it was officially renamed in 1946 to honour the FIFA President Jules Rimet who in 1929 passed a vote to initiate the competition. Designed by Abel Lafleur and made of solid gold on a blue base of lapis lazuli, it stood 35 centimetres (14 in) high and weighed 3.8 kilograms (8.4 lb). It comprised an octagonal cup, supported by a winged figure representing Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory. The Jules Rimet Trophy was taken to Uruguay for the first FIFA World Cup aboard the Conte Verde, which set sail from Villefranche-sur-Mer, just south of Nice, on 21 June 1930. This was the same ship that carried Jules Rimet and the footballers representing France, Romania and Belgium who were participating in the tournament that year. The first team to be awarded the trophy were Uruguay, the winners of the 1930 World Cup. During World War II, the trophy was held by 1938 winners Italy. Ottorino Barassi, the Italian vice-president of FIFA and president of FIGC, secretly transported the trophy from a bank in Rome and hid it in a shoe-box under his bed to prevent the Nazis from taking it. On 20 March 1966, four months before the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England, the trophy was stolen during a public exhibition at Westminster Central Hall. The trophy was found just seven days later wrapped in newspaper at the bottom of a suburban garden hedge in Upper Norwood, South London, by a dog named Pickles. As a security measure, The Football Association secretly manufactured a replica of the trophy for use in the postmatch celebrations. The replica was also used on subsequent occasions until 1970. The replica was sold at an auction in 1997 for £254,500, when it was purchased by FIFA. The high auction price, several times the reserve price of £20,000-£30,000, led to speculation that the auctioned trophy was not a replica, and was in fact genuine. Subsequent to the auction, FIFA arranged for the replica to be displayed at the English National Football Museum in Preston. The Brazilian team won the tournament for the third time in 1970, allowing them to keep the real trophy in perpetuity, as had been stipulated by Jules Rimet in 1930.[5] However, the cup was stolen again on 19 December 1983, when it was taken from a display at the Brazilian Football Confederation headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. The trophy was kept in a cabinet with a front of bullet-proof glass, but a rear made of wood was pried open with a crowbar.[6] The trophy was never recovered, which suggests it may have been melted down. Four men were eventually tried and convicted in absentia for the crime. The Confederation commissioned a replica of their own, made by Eastman Kodak, using 1.8 kg (3.97 lb) of gold. This replica was presented to the Brazilian president in 1984. The FIFA World Cup (awarded 1974–Present) A replacement trophy was commissioned by FIFA for the 1974 World Cup. Fifty-three submissions were received from sculptors in seven countries. Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga was awarded the commission. The trophy stands 36.5 centimetres (14.4 inches) tall and is made of 5 kg (11 lb) of 18 carat (75%) solid gold with a base (13 centimetres [5.1 inches] in diameter) containing two layers of malachite. Produced by Bertoni, Milano, it weighs 6.175 kg (13.6 lb) in total, depicts two human figures holding up the Earth. Gazzaniga described the trophy thus, “The lines spring out from the base, rising in spirals, stretching out to receive the world. From the remarkable dynamic tensions of the compact body of the sculpture rise the figures of two athletes at the stirring moment of victory.” It was first presented at the 1974 FIFA World Cup, to West German captain Franz Beckenbauer. The trophy has the visible engravement “FIFA World Cup” in outpouring letters at its base. The name of the country whose national team wins each tournament is engraved in the bottom side of the trophy, and therefore is not visible when the trophy is standing upright. The text states the year in figures and the name of winning nation in English, for example “— 1994 Brazil”. As of 2006 nine winners have been engraved on the base. It is not known whether FIFA will retire the trophy after all of the name plaques at the base are filled in; this will not occur until after the 2038 World Cup at the earliest. FIFA’s regulations now state that the trophy, unlike its predecessor, cannot be won outright: the winners of the tournament receive a replica which is gold plated rather than solid gold.

LEADING FOOTBALLERS JOIN FORCES TO ANNOUNCE A PARTNERSHIP DESIGNED TO GET PEOPLE TO “LACE UP. SAVE LIVES” Some of the world’s best footballers have joined U2’s Bono to promote a partnership between NIKE, Inc and RED. The likes of Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Joe Cole, Arsenal’s Andrei Arshavin and Denilson, Fulham’s Clint Dempsey and Seol Ki-Hyeon, Everton’s Lucas Neill and Inter Milan’s Marco Materazzi are all involved with the cause. People can ‘Lace Up to Save Lives’ by purchasing a pair of NIKE laces. One hundred percent of the profits from the laces will be split equally between The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which funds AIDS programs that provide medicine for those living with HIV, and footballbased community initiatives that deliver education and understanding around HIV/AIDS prevention. This unique partnership delivers programs that both medicate and educate. NikeRED laces will be available December 1st at Nike Store locations and key retailers worldwide. In addition, they will be available at nike.com for purchase.

Barcelona visits a refugee camp in Rwanda

NIKE ELITE SERIE

ES FOOTBALL BOOTS

Superfly: £275 T90: £250 CTR: £225 Tiempo: £215 www.nikefootball.com

ADIDAS PREDATOR X WORLD CUP BOOTS

15 17

In his second collaboration with PUMA, Kehinde Wiley, with his signature graphic prints inspired by the bold colors of Africa, took the v.1.10 football boot and made it into something extraordinary. Together, the product statements help set the stage for the ongoing PUMA Global Football campaign that is leading up to and through the FIFA World Cup™ 2010 in South Africa. Kehinde Wiley has distinguished himself for his portraits of famous African-Americans depicted in classical poses set against Wiley’s signature graphic backgrounds. These brilliantly colored patterns are featured in the line of apparel, footwear and accessories that he recently designed with PUMA. Embodying the spirit of what it is to be a football player and fan – Wiley consistently brings both intensity and passion to his creations. PUMA players Samuel Eto’o, John Mensah and Emmanuel Eboué all wore this limited edition boot in their UEFA Champions League games, starting December 9th and through their respective league games during the weekend of December 19/20th. All three players have signed their boots, which will be auctioned off in 2010 at the FIFA World Cup™ to benefit charity. The Limited Edition v.1.10 Kehinde Wiley boot isn’t just another designed football boot. It is a rich merit to Africa and comes in a uniquely numbered edition. It delivers the most advanced technology available to date. The second generation of the Uni-construction provides a better touch of the ball by having an updated, softer toe area. The laces are covered in order to provide a clean kicking area, and the lightweight upper materials combine textiles with a soft, highly-abrasionresistant, lightweight micro-fiber that translates into a significantly better ball touch. At the same time, the carbon fiber plate in the outsole reduces the stud pressure and increases reactivity, while keeping the weight of the product down. Form meets function in this statement product from PUMA that’s sure to be a collector’s item. Only 302 pairs of PUMA’s Limited Edition v1.10 Kehinde Wiley Boot will be manufactured and each will be individually numbered. The boots will be available for sale at select retail locations. Information about retail locations carrying the performance boot is also available at http://www.pumafootball.com

ENGLAND UMBR

RO AWAY SHIRT

Fabio Capello is a retired Italian footballer and current manager of the England national team, having started the role in January 2008 after the dismissal of Steve McClaren. Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career. In his first five seasons as a manager he won four Serie A titles with Milan, where he also won the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League, defeating Barcelona 4-0 in a memorable final. He then spent a year at Real Madrid, where he won the La Liga title at his first attempt, and in 2001 led Roma to their first league title in 18 years. Capello also won two titles at Juventus (which were later stripped after the Calciopoli scandal), and in 2006 returned to Real Madrid, where he won another La Liga title. Overall he has won a major league championship in seven (or nine, counting in the two revoked titles with Juventus) of his 16 seasons as a coach, and is one of the few managers to claim championship victories in four major European cities: Milan, Madrid, Rome, and Turin. Capello was welcomed by many English fans and the press who hailed his appointment as a triumph, citing in particular his impressive trophy haul and his reputation as a disciplinarian in contrast to the excessive leniency perceived to have existed under his two predecessors. For example he would later strip John Terry of the captaincy he had generally held for over a year after a scandal, in February 2010. He also referred to the members of the England team as “rich boys” and said each member needed to sacrifice something during the World Cup. In Italy, news of his appointment was greeted with a sense of pride that one of their countrymen had been selected to coach an elite European team. The Italian led England to the World Cup winning 9 out of the ten qualifying games, winning all their home games and only losing to Ukraine, with qualification having been secured, in October 2009. After constant speculation linking him with the vacant managerial post at Inter Milan, on 2nd June 2010 Capello committed himself to the England job until at least after the 2012 European Championships.

Italian World Cup Wrist Band by Puma

Laces by Puma

African Unity Shirt by Puma

Limited Editian Ball in 4 colourways by Addict x Pele Sport

The 2010 World Cup ball, which features a South African design, is called Jabulani - translated it means ‘to celebrate’ in isuZulu - and the name itself pays tribute to the celebration of football the World Cup will provide in the upcoming weeks. The design of the ball should ensure that both strikers and goalkeepers are on an even footing. In previous touraments, keepers have complained that forwards have had an unfair advantage because the balls deviated so much in flight. However, Adidas claim that a newly-developed “grip ‘n’ groove” profile will provide “an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions”.

Jabulani Official Match Ball Fifa World Cup 2010 by Adidas 25

55DSL WORLD CUP TEES

55DSL are yet again going in hard with their latest World Cup Tee drop. The collection consists of t-shirts created in collaboration with different international artists and one celebrative tee designed by the 55DSL creative team. 55DSL – along with cult sticker giants, Panini – have delivered a uniquely creative approach to the inevitably huge amount of World Cup themed merchandise you can expect to see flooding retail outlets across the world in the coming months, here’s some of our favourite designs…

1. Holland 2. Brazil 3.Germany 4. Greece 5. Italy 6. South Africa 7. Spain 8. Argentina 9. England

The tees are available now from London’s 55DSL store on Newburgh Street as well as ASOS.

THE WORLD CHAMPIONS COLLECTION FROM UMBRO To celebrate the world’s greatest football tournament, this summer Umbro has released the World Champions Collection. This truly inspired football range has been designed in collaboration with some of the hottest international artists, each hailing from one of the seven nations that have ever won the tournament. The twist in the brief to them was to base their design on the tailored silhouette of the Umbro England home shirt.Umbro has teamed up with artists from a diverse set of creative backgrounds to create a limited edition version of the England home shirt plus a T-shirt based on the resulting design. Using their nationality’s football culture as inspiration this is expressed through the unique crest design on each shirt. The England shirt collaboration has been designed with Ben Eine, one of England’s most prominent street artists and graffiti pioneers. ““I wanted to do something very traditional, something regal from the days of shining knights and Tudor roses. I wanted to show England as a strong, solid and brave team,” said Ben. This is translated into a bold, beautifully detailed red crest printed onto the classic, white England home shirt. In Uruguay Umbro teamed up with Martin Albronoz, a mixed media artist from Montevideo. Working across photography, painting and graphics Martin created a crest commemorating Uruguay’s legendary 1950 World Cup victory over Brazil; such a culturally remarkable moment, Uruguay refers to it as ‘El Maracanazo’, which refers to the way the team fought against the odds to victory. Four stars feature on the crest, two from their wins in 1930 and 1950, plus the two representing the team’s gold medals from the Olympics in 1924 and 1928, before the formation of the modern tournament as we know it. In France, Umbro chose to work with graffiti artist, now turned international fashion authority and club owner, Andre. The French shirt, a modern interpretation of the one worn in the early 80’s, is a classic Gallic blue and Andre has designed a crest that is a clean, fresh take on the most famous of French landmarks, the Eiffel Tower. Brazil’s remarkable achievement of winning five times, is celebrated through Umbro’s collaboration with Fernando Chamarelli, an illustrator, visual artist and tattoo designer from Sao Paolo. Chamarelli’s unique art, which connects symbols and legends of Brazilian culture, is apparent in his crest design. Chamarelli said “I was inspired by several elements of Brazilian culture - Capoeira, berimbau, music, birds, samba, carnival masks, the beauty of a tropical country, waves, and football of course. When I began to create the crest, I was thinking about some moves, dribbling, goals. I tried to put the movement in the crest over my art.” His design refers back to when the Brazil kit was first yellow and green in the 1950s, and the team became known as Canarinho, little Canaries. In Argentina, Umbro connected with Buenos Aires based record label, ZZK Records. Credited with re-invigorating the Buenos Aires party scene, the label combines a love of eclectic music with a recognisable design identity. ZZK’s crest design depicts the sun, Argentina’s national emblem, shouting “goal”, two indigenous birds holding up one finger for each of the country’s wins and kids playing football in the street, a pastime seen throughout the country. Trevor Cairns, Chief Marketing Officer from Umbro said, “Umbro has been a football tailoring brand for over 85 years and our shirts have been worn by champions throughout this time. Today, tailoring is pivotal to everything we do and we wanted to see how the strong aesthetic of this crafted piece of kit could inspire these artists. The clash of football and culture has created crests that tell insightful, deep and rich stories about that country’s pride in football and their broader culture.” The Umbro World Champions Collection of football shirts and T-shirts is available from Selfridges. RRP £70 for the Limited Edition box (including poster of all the crests signed by the artists, the shirt, story booklet about the inspiration behind each design and a crest pin badge), £50 for shirt, £25 for T-shirt. For stockists check www. umbro.com

Street artist Ben Eine for England

Mixed media artist Martin Albrunoz for Uraguay

Grafitti artist turned club owner Andre for France 30

Illustrator, visual artist and tattoo designer Fernando Chamarelli for Brazil

Record Label ZZK Records for Argentina 32

Nelson Mandela & Pele - Photo by Rex

Nelson Rolihlahla mandela is today the world’s elder statesman. But few things in his family background really hinted that he would become political activist, revolutionary, political prisoner and international icon, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and, fnally, president of a free and democratic South Africa. Except perhaps his given name, Rolihlahla – which roughly translates as ‘trouble maker’ (Nelson is apparently a name given to him by an English school master who had problems pronouncing the click in his Xhosa name. He liked it, it stuck). He was born on July 18th 1918, to a minor branch the Thembu dynasty – the reigning royal family in Transkei. As such, he could have looked forward to life as a rural South African minor royal – basically, farming and the inherited position of Privy Councilor in his cousin’s court. He went to Clarkebury & Fort Beaufort, the usual boarding schools of the Thembu – where he excelled both academically and at track and boxing. So far, so predictable.Then he went to Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape. This was southern Africa’s premier black university at the time. Of course, in the then British colony of South Africa, education – as most things - was inevitably segregated. Fort Hare has the distinction of producing more African leaders than any other – Nyerere (Tanzania), mugabe (Zimbabwe), Kaunda (Zambia), Nkomo (Zimbabwe), Khama (Botswana), Lule (Uganda), Desmond Tutu, and many others. So, it’s hardly surprising that it was a hotbed of political activity. And when mandela met Oliver Tambo – his political and philosophical soul mate - it was almost inevitable he would become politicised. They were expelled by the end of the frst year for organising student protests at the university’s racist policies. His uncle, the Regent Jongintaba, was somewhat predictably distressed by this act of rebellion; and, perhaps to foist some idea of responsibility on the young Nelson, decreed that both he and his cousin Justice, the heir to the throne, were to be married to suitable girls he had chosen. Both young men promptly ran away to the bright lights of the big city. Johannesburg has a strange landscape. It is surrounded to the south by a range of low, dusty hills of surprisingly regular height that intersperse sprawling groupings of rude shacks. The townships already exist. At dawn and dusk, they take a surreally tranquil cast as smoke from thousands of coal fres drifts slowly through the valleys these hills form. This is mining country: the rich seam of the Witwatersrand Reef snake beneath the ridge that the city lies atop. Gold. This is the reason the city exists. It is built, literally, on foundations of gold.The hills that poetically jut above the smoke are man made – waste from the goldmines dumped there as weirdly creeping hills. most of the mine workers are migrants – from Natal, Transkei, Swaziland and the Cape; and some from faraway malawi, Lesotho, Zambia and Zimbabwe. They are mostly men – few jobs exist for women in the 30’s and ‘40s outside of domestic service for white families all the way on the other side of the city in the suburbs. Jo’burg city epitomises the whole point of the colonial enterprise in Africa – to suck in cheap labour to work at extracting the earth’s bounty in mines, farms and plantations. mandela lives here, as WWII increases activity in the mines and industry of Jo’burg, drawing increasing numbers from the countryside.He works as an articled clerk in a law frm. His friend and mentor, Walter Sisulu, who is already established as an estate agent, helped him get the job. He continues studying via correspondence from the University of South Africa, fnally getting his degree. Then he’s a law student in the University of Witwatersrand in the city. He meets Joe Slovo, Ruth First and Harry Schwarz – South African, white, Jewish, communist, friends. He joins the African National Congress (ANC), and organize its Youth Wing . Even before the Afrikaner dominated National Party won the 1948 (white only) election, South Africa was a segregated and racist society. Basically, whites were the owners; Asians and Chinese are the shopkeepers; mixed race people (or‘coloureds, as they were called) middle-management; and blacks the workers. Gandhi cut his political teeth protesting the Pass Laws in South Africa – which restricted the movement of non-whites in South Africa. What Gandhi started, Mandela would finish. Apartheid. Apart. Hate. After 1948 the restrictions on non-whites became worse, more institutionalized, more visceral, more personal. Apartheid – separate development was official state policy. All life opportunities were pretty much determined by race. South Africa was for white people (Asian, Chinese and coloureds are allowed – as long as they remember their place) and Bantustans, ostensibly independent tribal homelands, was for blacks. In apartheid South Africa, there are laws restricting blacks in where and how they could live, travel, work, be educated, get married and mingle .The level of ANC activity in opposition to this grew. In 1955,Mandela and the others helped draft the Freedom Charter – a document that called for a democratic, non-racial South Africa that remains the basic foundation of the country’s constitution today. Firmly committed to nonviolence, the ANC initiated a series of strikes, sit-ins and protests. The regime reacted with increased restrictions and violence. They formed alliances with Asian and coloured parties; and the South African Communist Party (SACP) - as the communist bogeyman haunted the capitalist world through the cold war, the SACP was banned in 1950 and being a member carried a jail term . During this time, Nelson and Oliver form Mandela & Tambo, the first black law firm in South Africa. They have no shortage of clients, as they handle cases for blacks at little or no cost, both in terms of cash and aggravation. In 1956, pretty much all those who had drawn up the Freedom Charter were arrested; 156 of them were put on trial for their lives, on charges of treason. mandela acted as spokesman for the defendants, who were eventually acquitted. But the lines were being drawn, and it was becoming apparent that the regime would seek to kill anyone who defeat apartheid . Mandela was the lead organiser of the ANC on the ground, and with Sisulu,Tambo and Albert Luthuli – who were then the recognized thinkers – formed the ANC political leadership. As the regime ramped up the violence against the opposition – culminating in the massacre at Sharpeville in 1960 – Mandela helped form Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the armed wing on the ANC, which he led in a campaign of sabotage against the state. Later, at his trial, he explained that this was in self-defence – a basic human right – and sabotage was chose specifically to not endanger lives. He traveled to other African countries to raise funds, arms and training for the armed phase of the struggle. When he returned home he was the most wanted man in the country. He was finally caught, when the CIA tipped off the regime to his whereabouts and disguise, after 17 months as a fugitive. He was sentenced to five years in jail in 1962; and was subsequently charged with the crime of‘Sabotage’– which carried the death penalty – along with 11 other ANC leaders who had been arrested at a farmhouse in Rivonia. This trial caused a sensation and made him a global figure. His statement to the court in Pretoria on 20th April 1964 is rated as one of the greatest speeches in history. After totally destroying any moral justification of apartheid, he ended his statement saying,“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die .”The world didn’t hear Nelson Mandela speak again for 27 years. He and the others were sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island, off Cape Town. He became Prisoner number 46664. As their political status was not recognized by the regime they were subject to humiliation and abuse as well as hard labour in the limestone quarry. The flm ‘Goodbye Bafana’depicts his experiences in jail, somewhat – though it is based on the somewhat self serving account of his guard . Apartheid ground on, and so did resistance.The regime deployed police, and then troops to the townships.Violence begat violence. massacres became the order of the day, even schoolchildren weren’t spared. OliverTambo, who had escaped to the UK, kept the struggle in the eyes of the world. And, slowly, Nelson mandela became the most famous political prisoner in the world. As most countries isolated Apartheid South Africa with sanctions and boycotts, the tee shirts became more ubiquitous and the songs were heard more often.‘Freeeeee Nelson mandela!’ It was only a question of time. We all sort of knew that. When the extremely dignified, silver-haired Mandela walked out of Victor Vester Prison, on 11th February 1990, it was the beginning of the end of apartheid. He refused to renounce the armed struggle.“Our resort to the armed struggle in 1960 with the formation of the military wing of the ANC was a purely defensive action against the violence of apartheid. The factors which necessitated the armed struggle still exist today. We have no option but to continue.We express the hope that a climate conducive to a negotiated settlement would be created soon, so that there may no longer be the need for the armed struggle.”But Mandela also held out the olive branch of a negotiated dismantlement of Apartheid, and a democracy – based on the Freedom Charter - that guaranteed the rights of all citizens, including the white minority. It took four hard years of negotiation to bring about a new constitution. There were a few times when it all looked like it might end in blood – massacres, the assassination of Chris Hani, the shenanigans of the fascist AWB. But with Mandela’s lead, they persisted. Finally, on 27th April 1994, South Africa became a democracy with the ANC winning 62% of the vote in the first free and universal elections. Mandela was inaugurated president of an ANC led government of national unity on 10th may. He was almost 77. He stated his intentions in his inaugural address. “Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world. Let freedom reign.The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. God bless Africa .”And while it is important to know his history, the key question is, ‘what makes Mandela so special?’ For most people, it is simply that he stood by his principles all through his 27 years in jail and his subsequent public life. It is his mix of both pragmatism and principle that is so impressive. But, perhaps more importantly, he symbolically forgave white people for all the crimes they committed against him, and Africa. The 27 stolen years didn’t make him angry and vengeful. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which he set up to shine a light on the crimes committed during apartheid, offered amnesties to individuals who admitted their guilt. But he went one step further, and made Umkhonto we Sizwe acts of violence subject to scrutiny – despite stiff opposition within the ANC. When he wore the jersey of the Springboks - the South African rugby team that had come to symbolize Afrikaners and Apartheid during the dark days - to present them with the Rugby World Cup in 1995 in Johannesburg, the Rainbow Nation became a reality. For Africans, he symbolizes both victory in the struggle against domination and the beginning of a new African Renaissance. After all, what Gandhi began Mandela finished - colonialism was defeated. In his first speech as president to the Organization of African Unity’s Heads of Government meeting in Tunis in June 1994, in an emotionally charged atmosphere, Mandela pointed out that Tunis is built on the ruins of Carthage – destroyed for challenging the might of Rome over 2000 years ago.“We are certain that you will prevail over the currents that originate from the past, and ensure that the interregnum of humiliation symbolized by, among others, the destruction of Carthage, is indeed consigned to the past, never to return .”For the rest of the world, his presidency symbolized something different. This was a man with almost total moral authority. When President Bill Clinton attempted to rebuke Mandela for being friendly with Cuba and Libya, he publicly told the US president that he would not simply abandon those who had supported his struggle. “You do not have the moral authority to tell us who we should call our friends,” he told the world’s most powerful man. All Clinton could do was stand there and look contrite, like a schoolboy being publicly admonished by his teacher. Mandela graciously mixed with world leaders who had condemned him as a terrorist – Margaret Thatcher, George Bush, Henry Kissinger and others who had condemned him were forgiven and treated with courtesy and friendliness. Ironically, at this time he still needed the form permission of the Secretary of State to enter the USA as a private citizen – as until July 2008 he was still officially listed as a terrorist by the State Department. He was feted by royalty and rock stars (receiving over 100 awards from practically every country in the world) all the while insisting that he was nothing special – just an old man who really desired a quiet life with his 20 grandchildren and growing number of great-grandchildren. And then, in stark contrast to most African liberation leaders, he simply retired after his frst term in 1999. Also, he was ready to admit his own shortcomings as president – most notably that his administration did too little to combat the AIDS epidemic sweeping South Africa. He dedicated his efforts on charitable work – setting up his Nelson Mandela Children’s Foundation, as well as supporting other causes, most notably SOS Children’s Villages; make Poverty History; the Jubilee 2000 debt relief campaign; and the 46664 AIDS fundraising campaign. On his 80th birthday he married his third wife, Gracia Machel – widow of former Mozambique president Samora Machel. In 2003 he finally retired from public life. While Mandela’s legacy is obvious - apartheid is destroyed and South Africa is a democracy – there still remain the basic problems that wracked the South Africa when he went to prison back in 1962. most of the owners are still white and the workers still black. Democracy has brought little economic and social prosperity for most South Africans. Yes there is a growing black middle class. But if the recent spate of brutal killings of other African migrant workers and refugees by poor blacks is any indication, economic disempowerment remains a huge issue. But these are problems the next generation of South African leaders will have to solve. , Happy world cup.

For those too young to have even seen him play live, he represents an impossible benchmark for their own talents – a footballing deity, not to be aspired to, but simply worshipped Pelé was the first-ever sportsman whom advertisers saw as a marketing all-rounder. His clean-living lifestyle appealed to companies who felt safe in the knowledge that he would not tarnish their brand, while his supreme fame lent products instant recognition – the holy grail for advertisers. A survey in the early 1970s showed that the name Pelé ranked behind only Coca-Cola as the most popular brand in Europe . Pelé’s flair for diplomacy is another significant reason why he is such a hit in the marketing industry. ‘He is a unique individual who transcends borders as well as the affinities people have for their local teams,’ says John Stuart, master Card’s senior vice president of global sponsorship. ‘Not many athletes have that capability. Johan Cruyff is a god in Holland. He’s one great player, but he’s pretty acerbic. Pelé is a bit more diplomatic. That’s why he runs so well across borders.’ CONNECTING WITH THE ORDINARY The capacity for extraordinary people to connect effortlessly with the ordinary, to provoke awe while remaining accessible, is at the heart of the most pertinent comparisons between Pelé, mandela, Ali, Diana, mother Theresa, and their elite ilk. Like his cultural counterparts, Pelé appears sensitive to the impact he has on people, often calling upon a tactful delicacy to quench the fervour that follows him everywhere. ‘He is just so incredible with people,’ says former Scotland coach Andy Roxburgh. ‘Even if he has a pressing and important appointment he will not rush off or run away from the last autograph. He is very focused on his view that the people come first and you don’t come across many like that in football .’But it is the story of his arrival in Africa with club side Santos prompting a temporary ceasefire in the 1969 Congo Civil War that is perhaps the definitive illustration of the reverence with which Pelé is held. Many celebrities can stop traffic. Not all of them can stop war PELÉ THE PERFORMER It is often the case that the public persona of a sportsman is an exaggerated version of their real ‘self’. muhammad Ali’s deep-rooted self-belief, for example, provided the template for a brash, outspoken facade. The public Ali oozed charisma, but could infuriate as often as he entertained. Yet in the cold light of day, Ali would admit that his outbursts – often hugely offensive towards opponents – were driven primarily by a desire to popularize boxing and sell tickets for his fights. The way that Edson plays the role of Pelé is an altogether different proposition. Lacking muhammad Ali’s wit and larger than life persona – not to mention his orthodox good looks – the secret behind Pelé’s popularity lies elsewhere. Certainly, he does not shy away from the kind of self-proclamations that regularly led to accusations of arrogance being levelled at Ali. Indeed, Beethoven and Jesus are just two leading lights with whom Pelé has compared himself over the years. Yet, as the journalist Andrew Downie notes, ‘Even when he is comparing himself with some of the greatest geniuses of all-time, he comes across not as an arrogant celebrity, full of his own importance, but simply an ordinary man pointing out an obvious truth that even a simpleton could understand .’Pelé also creates an alter-ego by explicitly detaching Edson – his birth name – from Pelé. ‘I know that Edson is mortal,’ Pelé says. ‘He is without a doubt someone that the public doesn’t know very well. He’s the person who looks after the Pelé myth. But Pelé is immortal, he’s a legend. Edson keeps this all together.’ An effective by-product of this separation of person and persona is that it allows Pelé to celebrate his talent, even in the most bombastic manner, without sounding conceited. How much thought Pelé has put into this speech habit is unknown, but effective it remains . A TRUE GENIUS The sporting fraternity is unique in that it generates unanimous deference amongst its followers. Whereas the relationship between celebrities from other arts and trades is often competitive and edgy, celebrities have always attached themselves to sport in the subordinate context of fans. Whether it be Spike Lee and the New York Knicks, or Jack Nicholso-is beloved Los Angeles Lakers, stars are often reduced to gushing, childlike figures when talking about sport. The reason lies in sport’s ability to give rise to bona fide genius . We often view genius in opposition to talent. Talent, we believe, stems from reasoned intelligence and constant effort at improvement. It repeats flawlessly what has already been done, but does not create. In contrast, genius is regarded as inborn, intuitive and instinctive. Pelé possesses this aptitude, and demonstrates it more frequently and to a higher degree than any other footballer in the sport’s illustrious history. He transcended mere talent by consistently creating new moves never seen before. With this in mind, Pelé’s own comparisons of himself with the likes of mozart and Beethoven are not so far-fetched. Certainly, he stands up there with more contemporary names worthy of the appellation ‘genius’. michael Jordan and Ali in sport, Elvis, miles Davis, Brian Wilson and the Beatles in music, even Stephen Hawking in the world of science. All of them, along with Pelé, share the ability to display effervescent virtuosity, invention and imagination, instinct and improvisation and unconventional technique – the common, unmistakeable traits associated with authentic genius. RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME If Pelé’s sense of timing on the football pitch formed a significant facet of his genius, his emergence as a footballer was calculated with similar perfection. Surfacing at a time when Brazilian soccer had no need of certified coaches, and when the joy of playing was of essential importance even for professionals, Pelé’s unique ability offset his tender years and slight frame in the eyes of coaches and spectators alike . Then , significant, the spectacle of Pelé’s apogee at Mexico 1970 was brought, for the first time, by colour television to millions of viewers in Europe and the Americas. Constant television replays of the Brazilian triumph provided a crucial referent for the mythologising of arguably football’s greatest team and player. Andy Warhol once said that Pelé would defy his 15 minutes of fame theory and would instead enjoy 15 centuries. Certainly, fascination with the Pelé legacy shows no sign of diminishing. It is also clear that Pelé is comfortable with the mantle of being a living legend. After nearly half a century in the limelight, this is no surprise. But the clarity and frankness with which he speaks about his cosmic fame remains impressive. He knows he is special and knows why. But perhaps only one question remains: why him? ‘Sometimes this is something that I ask God,’ Pelé says. ‘When I go to bed, I ask – “Why? Why Pelé?”’ At a time when the concept of celebrity has become virtually worthless, Pelé’s question is redundant. Far more signifcant is the fact that Pelé is remembered primarily as the frst superstar and greatest exponent to have ever emerged from the world’s most popular sporting religion . He was quite simply the right genius, in the right place, at the right time.

Words: Nick Dines

WORLD AT THEIR FEET

“…I was the best because the crowd loved me…” Gladiator (2000) Much can be said for the correlation of the epic gladiatorial coliseum to our modern day football stadia. Like Pele, Maradona, Zidane et al, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have travelled on a testing path and are perhaps a mere month from greatness. Come the evening of July 11th, one of them may have cemented their place amongst the gods of the game. Both are quite capable of conjuring those breathtaking ‘where were you when…’ moments, putting the beautiful into what we consider the beautiful game. Whether garden, park, street or bedroom, children in unison across the globe will recreate iconic World Cup moments created by today’s sensational superstars, just as their father and grandfather did before them. Today’s HD quality footage was made for the likes of Messi and Ronaldo and those fortunate enough to catch games in 3D will witness first hand their bamboozling skills. Both were denied glory in this season’s Champions League, however it’s the precious Jules Rimet trophy that is their real holy grail. If any player is able to control Adidas’ much-maligned Jabulani ball, Lionel and Portugal’s number seven can. Here are players that have the capacity to silence the vuvuzelas with one hypnotic step-over, leaving audiences speechless and in awe. If Carlsberg did footballers, they’d be Messi and Ronaldo, gifted individuals, boasting natural ability, technique, control, balance and skill. Players are often graded on success and medals. League titles, domestic cups, European success and even Olympic triumphs are highly regarded, however both Messi and Ronaldo are quite capable of dining at the top table of footballing legends. The World Cup isn’t just their next assignment, it’s an obsession. Both have previous with sports greatest competition, having first dipped their talented toes in the water four years ago, during the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Mighty mouse Messi netted in his nation’s 6-0 drubbing over Serbia and Montenegro and Portugal’s glamour boy scored from the spot against Iran. By now you would have all viewed Adidas’ ‘Fast vs. Fast’ advertising campaign, featuring Barcelona’s wizard and Nike’s ‘Write The Future’ classic equivalent, which concludes with Real Madrid’s £80m man. Both Spanish based talents have become their respective sporting brands poster boys, capable of selling replica shirts from Peru to Malaysia. Situated within the ‘group of death,’ containing Brazil and Ivory Coast, there’s little doubt that 25-year-old Ronaldo has the far trickier task of carrying a nations hopes on his shoulders. Of the two stars, it’s the humble South American, who will turn 23 during the World Cup, that undoubtedly stands the greater chance of upstaging his rival and reigning supreme this summer. Some say that Diego Maradona’s bizarre tactical managerial methods have hindered Argentina’s flying forward, however in goal-machine Lionel Messi, here you have a player who has rightfully warranted the mantle of becoming the worthy owner of the famous number 10 shirt. For many years, players such as Pablo Aimar and Ariel Ortega have threatened to prosper wearing that treasured jersey, before drowning under the overwhelming pressure of being labelled the next Maradona. 2010 will change that, as Messi could yet eclipse his current boss as the best his nation has produced. Never mind Britain’s Got Talent, Argentina possesses a clear winner. According to popular bookmaker Paddy Power, diminutive dynamite Messi’s tipped at 4/1 to take home the tournament’s best player honour and at 10/1 to become top scorer. You only have to look at the fragile defences of group opponents Nigeria, South Korea and Greece to realise that this is a punt not to be missed. Much has been made of the great fear of crime and trouble during the first World Cup to be played on the African continent. However the main culprit for pick-pocketing will be this weaving wonder in a blur of baby blue and white. Playing the best football of his career to date, should the FIFA World and European Player of the Year take his domestic performances onto the international stage, fans whether Argentinian or neutral will be privileged to witness the magician in full flow. Week-in-week-out, with every slalom jink and turn of pace, ‘Me-ssi’ chants cascade from all sides of the Camp Nou. This summer however, this one-man circus attraction will reach South Africa, captivating audiences and viewers alike, following yet another stellar season. Argentina certainly boasts some fine exports, from fine wine and steak to the heated passionate dance that is the tango. The silent assassin Lionel Messi can most definitely be added to this list. Whilst his physical growth may have been hindered in the past, his reputation took no notice and has since grown to an unprecedented level. We are simply running out of superlatives to describe Argentina’s trump card. He returned victorious from the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, also earning both the competition’s top scorer and cherished player of the tournament awards, however it’s time for Lionel Messi to graduate. “…Are you not entertained…?”

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Wayne Rooney began his career with Everton, joining their youth team at age ten and rising through the ranks. He made his professional debut in 2002 and his first goal made him the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history at the time. He quickly became part of Everton’s first team, spending two seasons at the Merseyside club. Before the start of the 2004–05 season he moved to Manchester United for £25.6 million and became a key member of the first team. Since then, he has won the Premier League three times, the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League and also two League Cups. Rooney became the youngest player to play for England when he earned his first cap in a friendly against Australia on 12 February 2003 at seventeen, the same age in which he also became the youngest player to score an England goal. Arsenal youngster Theo Walcott broke Rooney’s appearance record by 36 days in June 2006. He is frequently selected for the England squad, featuring at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and most recently the 2010 World Cup squad. Individually, Rooney has also been awarded the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2009–10, a credit to his rapid development into one of his club and country’s most important players. In a 2010 interview, former teammate and Argentina forward, Carlos Tevez, said that Rooney is “the best in the world, it was a privilege to play with him.”

Steven Pienaar is currently playing for Everton and is also a member of the South African national team. He can play on either the right or left wing. In his career, Pienaar has played for Ajax Cape Town, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Everton. Pienaar joined Everton on loan 2007–08 and later signed a three-year contract from Dortmund for a pre-agreed fee of £2 million after payment of an initial loan fee of £350,000 in April 2008. He made his Premier League debut for Everton in the latter stages of the 2–1 home victory against Wigan Athletic. He scored his first Everton goal in the 2–0 home victory over Middlesbrough in September 2007. On 4 May 2010, Steven received recognition for his efforts in the form of an award for Everton’s Player of the Season, which he said he was “really honoured” to receive. A former under-17 international, Pienaar made his international debut for South Africa in a 2–0 win against Turkey in 2002 and has since accumulated 46 caps and 2 goals. He participated at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and has been recently named in the 23 man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Fernando Torres plays for Premier League club Liverpool and the Spanish national team as a striker. Torres started his career with Atlético Madrid, progressing through their youth ranks. He made his professional debut in 2001 and finished his career with the club having scored 75 goals in 174 La Liga appearances. He joined Liverpool in 2007, after signing for a club record transfer fee. He marked his first season at Anfield by being Liverpool’s first player, since Robbie Fowler in 1995–96, to score more than 20 league goals in a season. Torres become the fastest player in Liverpool history to score 50 league goals after scoring against Aston Villa in December 2009. In 2008, it was announced Torres had made a six man shortlist for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, which was eventually won by Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Manchester United.The Spanish international was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year Award, which was won by Cesc Fàbregas of Arsenal and was named in the PFA Team of the Year. In May, he finished second to Ronaldo for the FWA Footballer of the Year award. Torres is a Spanish international, making his debut for the country against Portugal in 2003. He has since participated in three major tournaments, UEFA Euro 2004, 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008. He did not score a goal at Euro 2004, but he scored three at World Cup 2006. Torres scored the winning goal for Spain in their 1–0 win over Germany in the UEFA Euro 2008 Final. Torres made his 60th appearance for Spain in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification victory over Turkey on 28 March 2009, becoming the youngest player to reach this milestone. He was named in Spain’s team for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in June. He scored his second hat-trick for Spain after 17 minutes into a Confederations Cup game against New Zealand on 14 June, thus recording the fastest hat-trick by a player for Spain. He played for Spain as they were defeated 2–0 by the United States in the semi-final, as well as the third-place play-off, which Spain won 3–2 against South Africa after extra time.” 46

Kaká currently plays for Real Madrid C.F.and the Brazilian national team. He started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club. By then, he also played tennis, and it was not until he moved on to São Paulo FC and signed his first professional contract with the club at the age of fifteen that he chose to focus on football. In 2003 he joined A.C. Milan for a fee of €8.5 million. Andriy Shevchenko’s departure to Chelsea for the 2006–07 season allowed Kaká to become the focal point of Milan’s offense as he alternated between the midfield and striker positions. He finished as the top scorer in the 2006–07 Champions League campaign with ten goals. One of them helped the Rossoneri eliminate Celtic in the quarter-finals on a 1–0 aggregate, and three others proved fatal for Manchester United in the semi-finals, despite Milan losing the first leg. He added the Champions League title to his trophy case for the first time as Milan went on to defeat Liverpool on 23 May 2007. He was voted the Vodafone Fans’ Player of the Season in a poll of over 100,000 UEFA.com visitors. On 30 August, Kaká was named by UEFA as both the top forward of the 2006–07 Champions League season and UEFA Club Footballer of the Year as well as that, he won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards that year. On 8 June, Milan and Real Madrid confirmed Kaká has moved to the Bernabéu on a six-year deal worth £68.5 million. Kaká started in his first FIFA World Cup finals in 2006 and scored his first and only goal of the tournament in Brazil’s 1–0 victory over Croatia in Brazil’s opener, for which he was named Man of the Match. He also participated in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.¬

Didier Drogba currently plays for Chelsea and is the captain and all-time top scorer of the Ivory Coast national football team. He has scored more goals for Chelsea than any other foreign player and is currently Chelsea’s 7th highest goal scorer of all time. Drogba made his professional debut aged 18 for Ligue 2 club Le Mans. A late bloomer, he signed his first professional contract aged 21 but it was not until the 2002–03 season that he realised his potential, scoring 17 goals in 34 appearances in Ligue 1 for Guingamp. During the same season he made his first international appearance for Ivory Coast in September and scored his first international goal the following February. He moved to Olympique de Marseille in 2003 for £3.3 million and his prolific ways continued, finishing as the third highest scorer in the league with 19 goals and making it to the 2004 UEFA Cup Final. Drogba moved to Chelsea the following season for a record breaking fee of £24 million, making him the most expensive Ivory Coast player in history. In addition, Drogba scored decisive goals in the 2005 FA Community Shield and League Cup Final and helped the club win their first ever Premier League title. Drogba came to prominence as one of the world’s foremost strikers in 2006 as he won the league title with Chelsea again and captained the national team for the first time. In the 2006 World Cup he scored Ivory Coast’s first ever goal of the competition and he was chosen as the 2006 African Footballer of the Year. The next season he finished as top scorer in the 2006–07 Premier League with 20 goals and also scored the winning goals in the 2007 League Cup and FA Cup finals. He won the FA Cup for the second time in 2009, scoring the equalizer in the final. In the 2009–10 season Drogba proved instrumental in Chelseas winning of the first double in the club history. He won his second Golden Boot with 29 goals and scored the only goal in Chelseas victory over Portsmouth in the 2010 FA Cup final. This goal makes him the only player to score in 6 english cup finals. He scored 6 goals in 5 qualification games to helped the team qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations Drogba scored one goal in the 3–1 victory against Ghana in the group stage. Ivory Coast reached the quarter finals but lost 2–3 to Algeria. In March 2010, he was named as the 2009 African Footballer of the Year, his second time winning the award in his career.

Robin van Persie plays for Arsenal for whom he is vice-captain and the Netherlands national team as a striker. In the national team he is occasionally deployed as a left/right winger as well. He made his breakthrough into professional football at hometown club Feyenoord, where he spent three seasons and won the 2002 UEFA Cup. Disagreements with coach Bert van Marwijk culminated in a change of club and Van Persie moved to Premier League side Arsenal for £2.75 million in 2004. He won the FA Community Shield and the FA Cup in his first season with the London club and won the 2006 Rotterdam Sportsman of the year award. Van Persie’s good form at the start of the 2005–06 season earned him the Player of the Month award for November 2005 after eight goals in eight starts, and he was rewarded with a fiveyear contract extension until 2011 on 4 January. However, two days after signing the contract, Van Persie was again hit by injury when an opponent stepped on his foot and broke his toe during an FA Cup match against Cardiff. Van Persie played the next three matches with a hole cut into his shoe to alleviate the pain. After Henry departed for Barcelona prior to the 2007–08 season, Van Persie assumed the role as Arsenal’s main striker. Following a streak of seven goals in ten regular-season games, Van Persie was sidelined for two months with a knee injury suffered on international duty. Van Persie’s excellent form this October did not go unrecognised as he was named Barclays Player of the Month for October. Van Persie has 43 caps and 17 goals with the Netherlands and made his senior international debut in 2005. He has participated in the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008. He also assisted with the Netherlands’ qualification for the 2010 World Cup.

Words: Nick Dines Following a turbulent Premier League season with troubled Fratton Park outfit Portsmouth, experienced professional Aaron Mokoena’s future remains cloudy. However there’s little doubt that the proud and patriotic captain of the rainbow nation belongs to South Africa, 100%. During a state visit to Buckingham Palace, here’s a man who was introduced to the Queen by President Jacob Zuma, as the man who will make sure South Africa wins the World Cup. No pressure then. However you would be foolish to rule out gritty Mokoena’s steely underdogs, who’ll certainly be backed by an excitable vuvuzela blaring host-nation. Should the 29-year-old find himself lifting his holy grail, the grand Jules Rimet trophy, come July 11th, he will instantly cement his team and himself into South African sporting folklore, unifying a nation. An achievement, which will rightfully rank alongside François Pienaar’s legendary and iconic rugby world cup winning springboks of 1995.With expectation reaching frenzied proportions approaching this summer’s tournament, we caught-up with the proud Bafana Bafana captain, known as ‘The Axe,’ who has admirably come from the crime-ridden destitute townships of Boipatong, to become his nation’s most capped player, but more importantly, his nation’s great hope. Firstly Aaron, you were born in Johannesburg, how proud will you be to lead your nation in that opening tie against Mexico? “I’d be very proud. It’s always been an honour to represent my country, most of all now with the big event around the corner, the World Cup. The first ever in an African continent. I’ll be very proud to lead my team.” You still hold the record as the youngest player to have pulled on the South African jersey and you’re now the most capped player, approaching your 100th cap, would that 100th cap be the proudest moment of your career? “It’s a dream come true. I’ve sacrificed a lot to be in the team from a young age and I was fortunate to have that opportunity to be the youngest player to ever represent the country, which is an achievement. I was a youngster then, just playing for fun. I now feel like a veteran already with my 100th cap just around the corner. It’s certainly a milestone for me. Being in the national team is where every footballer in South Africa wants to be. I’ve been involved in the national team for 11 years, which is amazing really. It takes a lot to achieve what I’ve achieved for the national team so far. I know that we are role-models, especially myself, therefore I need to lead by example for those young ones who look at me.” Can you sense the build-up and excitement for the World Cup back home and amongst fellow players in the Premier League? “We definitely talk a lot about the World Cup, with the likes of David James and the other boys that will be representing their countries there. They’re all looking forward to it. Every footballer wants to play in a World Cup and with this the first to be played on the African continent, they have a lot of questions about how the World Cup will be.” South Africa have never reached the second round in the World Cup, how confident are you of getting past the group stages and beyond? “We’re all aware that in previous World Cups we haven’t done that well, but I’m sure we will go out there and do our country proud. It’s a mountain to climb against experienced countries and players in such a big event, but we had the Confederations Cup last summer and did extremely well. The fans were the 12th man and played a big role for the team. I’m very confident and the fact that we’re the hosts will be a huge advantage for us.” You’re drawn in a group with Mexico, Uruguay and France, what other nations would you love to come-up? “The World Cup is a tough event and it’s always good for a player to come-up against top players. The likes of Argentina and Brazil are big countries and have those big players, but for me, I don’t mind playing against any player. Every player that appears at the World Cup will be tough.” Which player do you consider to be South Africa’s trump card? “We have so many big players, so it’s quite difficult to name just one. Steven Pienaar is on form at the moment for Everton, but back home in South Africa we have players who are really looking forward to this tournament and they want to show the world that they have what it takes to do well.” How big a deal is it for an Africa nation to host this summer’s World Cup? “I’m sure it’s going to give Africa an opportunity to showcase the beauty of the continent and provide the opportunity for people to invest in Africa, most of all South Africa. It’s a chance to showcase the warmth and diversity of our nation, after all, we’ve got such beautiful cities to visit, with a great history as well.” Alex Song recently told us that he has hopes for all the African nations taking part in South Africa. Aside from Bafana Bafana, will you have brotherly support for your fellow Africans? “It’s a big event for the continent, I would love to see an African country do well. It’s a World Cup, which means a lot to the continent. The likes of Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana have experience in this event and have players who are performing well at their clubs across Europe. However I don’t see any reason why we can’t do well. Now’s an opportunity for African players to demonstrate what we have.” A lot has been made of the impact of François Pienaar and the Springbok had on the nation back in 1995. Would winning the football World Cup prove a bigger achievement? “I think greater. Football in South Africa is the number one sport and Invictus showed that in rugby, how much sport can unify people. I’m sure this event will be the same, unifying people and creating opportunities for South Africans via jobs and improving the economy, but also displaying the beauty of the nation.” As captain of your nation, I imagine you’ve had the chance to meet the iconic Nelson Mandela. Has he passed on any words of advice for the team? “It’s a tradition in South Africa before big sporting events, whether rugby, cricket, football, to meet the big man, Nelson Mandela. We go and have those words of wisdom. We did before last summer’s Confederations Cup and we did well.” You’ve been in England long enough to know how the press work over here. Is the pressure and unrealistic expectations the same back home? “It is the same. The media in South Africa are really behind football. They can make it difficult on players, but we are all aware that we have a task as players and need to do well.” Your coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has been there and done it before with Brazil in 1994. How important will his experience prove with what is an inexperienced squad? “He has played a big role in the team since he’s returned. He has been in the game for a very long time and knows what it takes to do well in this big event. It means a lot to have a person like him involved in the team. Hopefully his experience will play a great role in motivating the players. He knows that preparing the team well, both mentally and physically, is important for us to succeed.” Finally Aaron, if South Africa were to struggle and fail to reach the latter stages, would the nation adopt a side like England? “I’m not sure about that, but I’m sure they’ll support every African country. I will be supporting England as they are my second country, but it’s South Africa and then another African country, then England.”

Yellow and black trousers by ADIDAS X JEREMY SCOTT

“I WILL BE THE WARRIOR”

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Blue zip up jacket and trousers. Both by NIKE

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Trousers by NIKE

PHOTOGRAPHER: SATOSHI MINAKAWA STYLIST: YASUHIRO TAKEHISA GROOMING: YIN LEE AT PREMIER PHOTO ASSISTANT: TORU HOSAKA, TRISTAN FENNELL

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Words: Nick Dines Whilst Gunners teammate Cesc Fabregas deservedly earns the plaudits week in week out, understated Alex Song is now one of the first names on the Arsenal teamsheet, becoming an integral component of Arsene Wenger’s grand-plan. Growing into the pivotal Deschamps ‘water-carrier’ role, Song has developed into an accomplished physical presence, Arsenal’s force-field once occupied by Highbury hero Patrick Vieira. Under the trusted tutelage of manager Arsene Wenger, the 22-year-old has certainly blossomed, emerging rapidly on both the Premier League and international scene. Driving-force Song will swiftly dispatch to the back of his mind memories of yet another disappointing trophy-less season with Arsenal, calling upon more inspirational thoughts, as he prepares to represent his beloved Cameroon in his first World Cup experience this summer. The African enforcer took time out from our Anglomania photoshoot to discuss his vast progression at Arsenal under father-figure Arsene Wenger, the importance his family has on his life and his excitement for the peak of any players career, the World Cup. Firstly Alex, how much are you looking forward to playing in your first World Cup? “I’m just 22-years-old, so it will be an unbelievable opportunity for me, as every player in the world wants to play in a World Cup. The people are now looking forward to the tournament, so I hope at least one African team can do well. We have a lot of good teams in Africa, not just Cameroon. Every team has improved a lot, that’s why I’m confident both for Cameroon and the other African teams. With this the first World Cup in Africa, if an African nation progresses in the tournament, it will be very good for the continent.” What will it mean for you knowing that everyone back home in Cameroon will be watching this summer? “Today I have the chance to play in England, for Arsenal and to play for the international team. I want to just say thank-you God, because in Africa life’s very difficult. I enjoy it when I go back, because I have my family and friends over there and I see the people just want to be like me.” How big a deal is it for an Africa nation to host this summer’s World Cup? “We have very good players in Africa, but we don’t have the structure. It’s not the same as Europe, where there are some of the best conditions. If one African team can go far in the competition, it will make a huge difference. We saw what we didn’t do very well in the African Cup of Nations, so we don’t want to make the same mistakes, because it’s not the same level as the World Cup. All the best players in the world will be at the tournament, that’s why we need to be ready for the fight and the challenge. It’s not going to be easy.” Cameroon’s best World Cup was in 1990, reaching the quarter-finals. Can you better that? “I don’t know about the past as I didn’t see it, but today we have players performing in the top leagues across the world and in the Champions League and Europa League, so we now have better players who have played on the big stage.” You’re drawn in a group with Holland, Denmark and Japan, what other nations and players would you love to come-up against? “We don’t want Spain too early, because we know they are one of the best teams in the world. If we give 100%, we can do something. I hope Robin (Van Persie) will be in the World Cup, because he’s one of the best players I’ve seen in my life. I fortunately had the opportunity to train with players like Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry, but I think Robin is unbelievable. His first touch and the things he does in training, you think ‘wow he’s not human.’ He’s fantastic.” You’ve become a major part of the Arsenal first-team. What has Arsene Wenger brought to your game since you joined the club from Bastia in 2005? “When I came to England, it wasn’t easy, because I was just 17-years-old and I’d left all my family and friends. I didn’t speak a word of English. I’m now really happy to play at Arsenal because the boss trusts my job. As time passes, I gain more confidence and I enjoy life. I think I’ve improved a lot, because the Arsenal squad has so many fantastic players. It’s a young team, with the likes of Cesc, Theo and Robin and when you have a manager like Arsene Wenger, one of the best in the world, we can improve all the time because we learn so much with him.” Arsene Wenger recently said that you were one of the Premier League’s most improved players. Have you felt personally that this season you’ve made real progress? “Of course. I’m not the same player as I was two-three years ago. I’ve improved a lot on the quality and physical nature of my game and I’ve learnt so much by playing in the centre. Today when I spoke with the boss, he said, ‘remember what your first touch was like when you came here?’ I’ve improved a lot that’s why I’m very happy to be part of a club that can help change a player.” Which players did you follow when growing-up, really admire? “When I had the time, I watched Claude Makelele. I learn so much when I watch him play and fortunately had the chance to play against him when he came over for the Emirates Cup last summer in pre-season, so I made sure I spoke with him before the game.” Which players in the Premier League and in international football do you admire in your position? “Cesc! I really enjoy being with him all the time. He’s fantastic and it’s hard to believe that this guy is still just 22-years-old. It’s unbelievable. Whether in training or on a matchday, when you have this player performing week-in-week-out for you, you’re so lucky. Cesc’s a very clever player and plays with the knowledge of someone who’s 30. I also like Michael Essien and whenever we play against Chelsea, it’s never an easy game against him. I know he’s a strong player, so I have to be ready for the challenge. I joke with him all the time, but you know he’ll give 100% on the pitch.” How proud are you to be a part of such a fantastic footballing side? “The secret is Arsene, because at Arsenal we keep the ball on the floor, using quick passes. It’s become easy, as we’re learning every single day on the training pitch. As it’s five years since we won anything, if we can win something, everyone will be so happy. We work really hard together on the training ground and we will continue to give 100% to not have any regrets.” Who would be in your team of the season? “This year Wayne Rooney has proven one of the big players in the world and has been unbelievable. He’s a very good player and has scored a lot of goals. He work’s so hard whenever he’s out on that pitch.” You’ve now been in England for approaching five years, are you settled into the English culture? “I have my family, so when I have a day off, I like to enjoy it with them. When we’re travelling a lot with the club, it’s not easy to have spare time. So when I have that opportunity with my family, it’s important to me. I lost my dad when I was just three-years-old and today I have two kids myself, so I just give my all to make them happy. I didn’t have that when I was young, but today I have the opportunity to give everything for my family. When I come out onto the pitch, I just look out for my family in the stand, as it gives me power to succeed.” How do you like to relax outside of the beautiful game? “I hardly have any time because my son just loves football. When I get back home, he just says, ‘Daddy come and play.’ Non-stop. Everything’s just ball, ball, ball, ball!” With your iconic hair and Cameroonian sweatbands, would you say you are one of the most stylish players at Arsenal? “In the squad, everyone knows I like clothes and like to dress well. They will always say, ‘Alex likes his fashion.’ My wife even says I’m crazy!” Finally Alex, which players do you get on well with and socialise with outside of playing? “Emmanuel Eboue’s a good friend and yeah, he’s crazy! He makes everyone happy every single day, just by dancing in the dressing room with his African music on. In fact, Emmanuel is one of the best dancers I’ve seen in my life. Before games, we’ll talk about doing some new dances if we score and I’ll come-up with something if Cameroon win the World Cup!”

PHOTOGRAPHER: MAGNUS AEKSTROM STYLIST: MALKIT SINGH RETOUCH: NURALI KUSHKOV PHOTO ASSISTANT: ANDERS FAUERBY

DICKSON’S DELIGHT Words: Nick Dines Fresh from a remarkable campaign under managerial magician Roy Hodgson, the athletic machine that is Dickson Etuhu now has the added bonus of a first World Cup on the horizon. The imposing 27-year-old Nigerian has certainly grown in stature both in the domestic and European game, becoming an ever-present in Fulham’s impressive and lengthy 2009/10 campaign, which began way back in July 2009. Having narrowly lost out in the Europa League final to Diego Forlan and Atletico Madrid, midfield presence Dickson found time from a hectic playing schedule to share his memories of past World Cup’s, discuss his and the Super Eagles chances in the first World Cup on African soil as well as the daunting task of keeping a certain Lionel Messi quiet! Firstly Dickson, can you sense the build-up and excitement for the World Cup back home and amongst fellow players in the Premier League? Obviously a lot of the Fulham boys express how excited they are about the World Cup. We do have banter and a laugh about it and we wind up the players that aren’t going. I’ve got friends at the club such as Clint Dempsey, who’s always going on about it. There’s also John Pantsil, a very good friend, who’ll be going with Ghana. He’s like a brother to me. It’s my first World Cup, so I’m very excited and I’m really looking forward to experiencing it, especially in a great country like South Africa. Just talking about the World Cup gives me goosebumps and it’s every players dream to play in one. When I wear the shirt of my country, words can’t explain how emotional I get. Obviously there are so many people back home who are suffering and all they have is football, it’s not like Europe. Nigeria have never reached the quarter-final stage in the World Cup, how confident are you of getting past the group stages and beyond? Last time we struggled, but we’ll this time be looking forward to trying to do well for our country. We have a lot of Premier League players with great experience and on paper we deserve to go through. That’s not enough in football though, so we have to take every game seriously and if we work really hard I believe we will qualify. It’s always important to get off to a good start, but the most important thing is to qualify. No one expects us to win the World Cup, so I’m just looking forward to it. You’re drawn in a group with Argentina, South Korea and Greece. What other nations would you love to come-up against? I’d love to play against Spain, but not until the semi-finals! They’d be a great team to play against, but there’s also the likes of Brazil and Germany. They are all good, so we’re not trying to think too far ahead. We just want to work hard to qualify. Who do you consider to be Nigeria’s trump card? We are very much a team, not individuals. We are a very strong, physical team, with players that play in good leagues, so we will go out there and work for each other. With the team we have now, we have a good chance of having a good run in the World Cup. What are your biggest memories of past World Cup competitions? I just remember the Brazilian Ronaldo scoring all those goals in France 1998. That’s the tournament I enjoyed the most. I’ll never forget that exciting team with Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos. Which players are you looking forward to witnessing first-hand? Argentina have a lot of match winners and are one of the favourites to win the whole thing. With the likes of Carlos Tevez, who I play against in the Premier League, he’s certainly not an easy player to play against. However I’m not thinking about individuals right now. I don’t ever think about players and who they’ve played for. I just go out there and do my best. Messi is obviously the best player in the world, but any player can win you a game, so I’m not too worried about Messi, if I can catch him! You have to fancy Messi, especially in the form he’s in right now. He scores goals without even trying and obviously you can’t right off Ronaldo. You look at the Spanish team with Torres and Drogba’s going with the Ivory Coast, so I’m sure it’s going to be exciting for everybody. How big a deal is it for an African nation to host this summer’s World Cup? Football back home in Nigeria is everything. People live, eat and sleep football. Even a normal friendly is a big thing, so the World Cup will be another level. The people out there are raring to go. We are all role-models, everyone that wears that shirt for their country across the world, so we all have to show what we are about to then do well for the country. I was obviously in Angola at the beginning of the year for the African Nations Cup and everyone was talking about the World Cup. People weren’t speaking about the African Nations Cup so much, they were just discussing what was going to happen in the summer. It’s great for Africa. Aside from Nigeria, will you have brotherly support for your fellow Africans? Obviously we wish to do well as a team for our country, but at the same time, we will support our neighboring countries and hope they do well. Arsenal’s Alex Song is a good friend of mine and we’ll have banter, but at the end of the day we’ll wish each other all the best. Finally Dickson, you’ve been in England long enough to know how the press works over here. Is the media pressure and unrealistic expectations the same back home? I don’t think it is as bad as England, but they do want us to do well and they believe that with the players we have at our disposal, we can do well. We have many top players in our squad and I sometimes think to myself how we are not doing better. We’ve got a new manager and everyone’s excited. .

Samuel Eto’o is a striker for Italian Serie A club Internazionale and is currently captain of the Cameroon national team Eto’o scored over 100 goals in five seasons with FC Barcelona, and is also the record holder in number of appearances by an African player in La Liga. In 2010, he became the first player to win two European Continental Trebles following his back-to-back achievements with Barcelona and Internazionale. He is the second player to have ever scored in two separate UEFA Champions League finals and the fourth player, after Marcel Desailly, Paulo Sousa and Gerard Piqué, to have won the UEFA Champions League two years in a row with different teams. He is also as of 22 May 2010, the most decorated African player of all time. As a member of the Cameroon national team, he was a part of the squad that won the 2000 Olympic tournament; he has participated in two World Cups and five African Nations Cups (being champion twice), and is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the African Nations Cup, with 18 goals. Eto’o earned his first cap with Cameroon at age 14 on 9 March 1996, in a 5–0 friendly loss to Costa Rica. In 1998, he was the youngest participant in the 1998 FIFA World Cup when he appeared in a 3–0 group stage loss to Italy on 17 June 1998, at the age of 17 years and three months.

One of the most artistic and awe-inspiring football venues on the African continent, the newly-reconstructed Soccer City Stadium will host the first and final matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. The ground’s design is inspired by the iconic African pot known as the ‘calabash’, and its aesthetic appeal will be heightened when the stadium is lit at night. Soccer City is located in Johannesburg’s southwest and is only a short distance from one of the country’s football-crazy townships, Soweto. About 40 per cent of Johannesburg’s population live in Soweto and this proximity is bound to make the stadium a hub of activity throughout the 2010 finals. The stadium is widely regarded as the heart of football in South Africa as it has hosted many important matches through history. In the mid 1980s, officials came together to build the first international football stadium in the country and the construction was funded from the football fraternity’s coffers. Soccer City hosted the first mass rally of Nelson Mandela after his release from prison in 1990. Thousands of mourners lamented Chris Hani’s assassination at the stadium in 1993. It was also the venue for the 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations final, with South Africa eventually triumphing 2-0 over Tunisia. The original stadium, which was known as the FNB Stadium, had a capacity of 80,000. Upgrades involved extending the upper tier to increase the capacity to 94,700; adding 99 more suites to bring the number to 184; constructing an encircling roof; adding new changing room facilities and installing new floodlighting.

AFRICAN ARENAS

photography: Thomas Hoeffgen

PHOTOGRAPHER: THOMAS HOEFFGEN

Words: Nick Dines Opening the box, you half expect the uplifting Sigur Rós to begin playing in the background, as nestled delicately inside is an instantly recognisable reward many sportsmen strive for, yet very few achieve. An Olympic gold medal. Life has certainly changed a lot for Super Middleweight James DeGale since his 2008 Beijing Olympic experience. Once a slightly troublesome wayward youth, destined to become another negative statistic, the 24-year-old Londoner, nicknamed Chunky, has rapidly risen to not only becoming a role-model for aspirational youngsters, but now has realistic ambitions of dominating British boxing. Fresh from another high-octane sweat-filled session in his Essex-based gym, his lab where inspirational ‘pain’s temporary, pride’s forever’ graffiti slogans adorn the walls, we caught-up with the explosive southpaw to discuss training with Floyd Mayweather Jr, meeting the Queen and his urge to become world champion by 2012. Firstly James, your next bout is against Sam Horton on the Kevin Mitchell/Michael Katsidis under-card at Upton Park, how much are you looking forward to your first 12-round bout? “I’m looking forward to it. I said at the beginning of my career, I’m training for a four to six-round fight, but a 12-round career. I’ve been training for 12-rounds since I came in the professional gym, so I can’t wait.” Some have said that it may be a little early to be challenging for a title, however do you feel you’re ready for the jump from six to 12 rounds? “I’ve had heaps of experience at the top level as an amateur, travelled all over the world and boxed all different sizes of people, which gives me that extra bit of experience as a pro. Instead of doing six-round sparring, we’ve been doing eight and ten. I’ve worked hard in the gym since I arrived here, so no one should be worried about me not being fit. I should do the 12-rounds nice. Easy! This time next year, I will definitely be British Commonwealth champion and on the verge of boxing for a world title. There’s so much talent out there, it’s unbelievable. In the next couple of years Great Britain will have at least five world champions.” How likely is an up-coming Commonwealth title bout later this year with the impressive 22-year-old George Groves? “I want that so bad, but he’s with Hayemaker Promotions, I’m with Frank Warren, so we’re with two different promoters. Hopefully this comes off sooner rather than later. Never mind all the chat, lets just get in there and do it.” Groves considers the bout as his Haye-Maccarinelli breakthrough fight. Would you see it as revenge, having lost to him previously in an amateur bout? “He’ll be getting knocked-out trust me. I got robbed against him previously, but look where I am and look where he is. Believe me, when I do fight him, it won’t last four rounds. You can quote that and remember I said that.” You now belong to the Frank Warren stable and are rapidly becoming an established professional, can you quite believe how quickly you’ve progressed? “Life has changed. It’s mad. I go to my local shopping centre and get recognised. I walk down Oxford Street and hear, ‘that’s the boxer from the Olympics,’ but I’m enjoying it. I remember Terry Edwards saying to me that if I go to the Olympics and win a medal, my life would change. But if I win a gold medal, life will be mad and it really has. I got back, had meetings with promoters left right and centre, featured on television shows and did different interviews.” Last year you flew over to Vegas to train at Floyd Mayweather Jr’s gym. What was that like as an experience? “That was a dream come true. He’s got heaps of swagger and he’s one of my favourite fighters. I like his attitude and work ethic as he works very hard in the gym, that’s why he is so confident and arrogant. My trainer Jim (McDonnell) took a couple of aspects and adopted them into our training. I think when I walked into their gym, they knew I was champion, but they didn’t know how good I was. I got in there and mashed up one of his geezers. Then they found out I was Olympic champion and the pound signs came into their head. Floyd’s uncle said ‘listen you’re going to have to give him so dough, you’re Olympic champion.’ So in the end I was going over there for some decent sparring and ended-up paying him to spar me! I’m welcome back whenever I want and they advised me to just keep focused and dedicated and I’ll go all the way. By 2012 I want to be boxing for a world title, so Vegas is the dream and I’ll hopefully be doing it over there.” When you first discovered the world of boxing, what was it that appealed to you? “I started boxing at the age of ten. When I walked into the gym, it felt natural and I felt at home. I got beaten-up during my second spar, but I didn’t mind getting hit, it was mad. I had all of Prince Naseem Hamed’s videos, he was flash and had lots of confidence, but I also liked the likes of Nigel Benn, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, so I know my boxing.” How tricky was the decision to turn pro, therefore sacrificing another Olympic opportunity, but this time in your home city? “It was very hard but I believe you have to strike while the iron’s hot. If the next Olympics were anywhere else, there would have been no question that I would have turned pro. London 2012 was the only reason why it was a tricky decision. To defend my Olympic title in London, my home city would have been fantastic, but I have to think about my family and myself.” When you see the increasing advertising and rapid transformation of East London in preparation for 2012, do you ever have any regrets over your decision? “I do get itchy feet, I’m not going to lie, but I’ll hopefully be going to support anyone that wants advice or wishes to speak with me. I’m in a good place now. I’m loving life and enjoy what I do. I wake up in the morning with a big smile on my face.” With West Ham’s stadium Upton Park being used for this up-coming Horton fight, how sweet would it be for you to perform at The Emirates? “I’m a Gooner and to box at the Emirates in 2012 for a world title would be a dream come true. Frank Warren is a massive Arsenal fan and has a box at The Emirates and Jim McDonald, my coach, is a huge Arsenal fan and season ticket holder, so I’m surrounded by Gooners.” You’re a London man through and through, so how does performing in London compare to other arenas around the country? “I don’t mind travelling, as you have to buildup your fan-base everywhere. I’ve enjoyed boxing in Manchester and Belfast, but home is home and when I’m in my home city, I feel more relaxed. With my last fight at Wembley, I was at home watching TV and drinking a cup of tea a couple of hours before I went to the venue.” You’ve labelled yourself Mr. Marmite in the past. Do you find it an added incentive to change the opinions of critical fans? “After my first fight, I got booed by a small minority of the crowd, but I came back and answered my critics in my next fight. The geezer (Ciaran Healy) didn’t last two and half minutes. Gradually people have warmed to me and I’m winning over my critics. By the time I’m boxing for that world title, come 2012, I’ll have the whole of Great Britain behind me.” Having achieved an Olympic gold, an MBE and hopefully a world title, do you have plans to get out of the game fairly early as David Haye has planned? “I’m a bit bamboozled when I hear people say that, because I couldn’t imagine life without boxing. Obviously if I train hard and show dedication, in ten years I could be retired. It depends how rich I am! I’ll definitely stay in boxing though. My coach Jim is former European champion and fought for a couple of world titles, so he remained in boxing and trains professionals now, so maybe I could do that.” Talk to us a little about that MBE experience at the Palace? “What an experience! I got a letter from Tony Blair, which is now safely tucked away, but to go to the palace to meet the Queen, shake her hand and even speak to her was an honour. I took my mum, my nan and my dad, so they were dead proud. To be recognised by your country is a fantastic feeling, but I think I was boxing a couple of weeks after, so I couldn’t go out and celebrate.” David Haye has received criticism for his lifestyle outside of the ring. How important for you is it to find the right balance between commercial interests and boxing? “If you’re going all the way, you’ve got to be dedicated and have sacrifices, but you’ve got to relax and show you’re normal sometimes. I’m disciplined, show heaps of dedication and train very hard, but you’ve got to be able to socialise and enjoy yourself. After a fight, Jim will give me a week off, but after a week of going out, you then want to get back into that gym. It’s important to know when to stop and hit the gym.” Outside of the ring, how do you like to get away from it all? “I train so hard and weeks before a fight, all I do is train twice a day and go home, so I’ve just got to chill, relax and recover, because the next day I’m doing it all over again. At the minute, if you took away my mum, I’d find it hard to live. She does everything for me. I like socialising, going to the cinema, listening to music and chilling with my mates and family. I also love shopping and often head to the designer stores in Bond Street, the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Dior. You know what? That’s where all my money goes, on clothes. That’s going to be my downfall! Oh and cars! I’ve got a Range Rover Sport and I’ve just ordered a two-door Jaguar XFR. A James Bond car. Nice!” You obviously have to keep in shape and maintain certain weights, so what restaurants do you like to head to once a fight is out of the way? “I’ve been to Nobu a few times, but I take lady friends there! There’s a Spaghetti House I go to in the Westfield, so I go out to eat regularly at restaurants. After all, you can also be healthy at Nando’s with half a chicken, sweet potato mash and some olives!” Finally James, you enter the ring to the ‘Chunky’ remix of the Donae’o track ‘Party Hard,’ but what tunes get you motivated? “You’ll be shocked if you went through my iPod, as I’m into allsorts. To train, I like my uplifting Funky House, but I like my R&B, Hip-Hop and even the likes of Oasis and Michael Buble. I could really embarrass myself, but I’m not going to.”

PHOTOGRAPHER: DOMINIC MARLEY

15th May 2010 saw an astonishing win for Amir Khan against Paulie Maignaggi, amazing audiences with his pure dominance of the fight. Khan was fighting to retain his Light Welterweight title and he did so in incredible fashion, clinching the stoppage win in the 11th round at Madison Square Gardens in New York – his American fighting debut. It was clear from the outset that Khan had been working extraordinarily hard on his defense, acknowledging the weakness of his chin. The speed and power of his hands and feet were clearly significant factors in the win, as was his ability to follow the instructions of his coach. Khan broke down Malignaggi methodically, taking few risks, keeping his punches straight and maintaining a solid concentration. His jab has been described as “probably the most lethal jab in the world around 10st”, which proved correct in that Khan’s opponent had an inability to move his head quickly enough. He simply couldn’t match Khan’s speed, stopping for long periods of time throughout the fight to sought refuge. The end was noble enough. The referee Steve Smoger dived between them at one minute and 25 seconds of the final session as Khan continued battering Malignaggi along the ropes. The beaten man did not object with conviction. His face told a story of ultimate resignation. Khan made it clear that he will not leave the division until he has fought the best and is, in fact, the best.

TRIPLE WORLD SURFING CHAMPION STEPH GILMORE After a string of extremely successful annual events that blend surfing with fun, The Rip Curl & Hawaiian Tropic Girls Tour is back once again, and this time it’s bringing a new element to the equation: music. As the sun goes down on the first night of each tour stop, grab a drink and join the sunset beach session with DJ Elisa Do Brasil who will hit the decks. Keeping the fun going, with your feet in the still warm sand, listening to the sounds of drum and bass. Since its beginnings, the Girls Tour has been all about passing on our passion for surfing and the values that make the sport what it is, a sport that enables the girls to truly express themselves. Staying loyal to these values, by adding music to the program, the Search takes on a whole new dimension. These two worlds have always been intrinsically linked. From the drumbeats and ukulele chords born in Hawaii, to the Beach Boys and the surfing sounds of the 1960’s, surfing has always been an inspiration to many musicians across the world. For Rip Curl, it’s only natural that these two worlds of unlimited creativity collide once more, to offer everyone even more excitement and fun. The Rip Curl Girl’s Team on Tour: Look out! The Rip Curl & Hawaiian Tropic Girls Tour is back to rip up the beach! 5 countries, 11 spots where girls will be getting together to have the time of their lives! With a mix of music and surfing themed fun days and nights and concerts on the beach, there’s twice as much fun for the girls to have!! We caught up with Aussie Rip Curl professional surfer and triple World Champion on the Women’s ASP World Tour (2007, 2008, 2009), Stephanie Gilmore to delve deep in what it takes to become a surfer of Steph’s calibre. When did you first know you wanted to surf professionally? When did you know you could not imagine a life without it? How did you know? The surfing lifestyle has been in my blood since I was born. I really developed my passion for it when I became strong enough to do it confidently solo. I guess as the competition results came in, and the schedule of global events increased I got a taste of what a career in the sport could be. I would have been about 16 years old when I decided this could be my professional career. What does it take to be a professional athlete? I think each individual athlete is different, however for me it was determination, focus and a strong passion for what you do. I believe that if you love what ever you do, you can succeed to any level. Please describe a typical day in your life? I travel a lot so it varies enormously. If it’s a day at a competition, I will stretch and listen to music, have a free surf and look at the surf conditions. I like to hang out with the other girls on tour at the event to laugh and have fun, and I start my heat preparation about 1 and a half hours before I paddle out. My heat preparation I prefer to do on my own so I can focus solely on what’s in front of me. Who has helped you along the way and how? My family has always been very supportive. My dad taught my old sisters and I to surf, and has always been at the beach with me. It’s incredible to have that foundation behind you whilst you follow your dreams. I have always felt my parents made the right decision in encouraging me to complete my education as I still believe it has allowed me to make difference in my own career. How many people are in your ‘team’ and what do they do to support your career? Publicist, coach, sponsor manager etc…I have a few major sponsors that are quite large companies and therefore are able to supply me with everything I need professionally. Rip Curl have been with me from the start and I love representing the brand. I have been with both Sanitarium ‘Up&Go’ and Ford Motors for three years now. My dad takes care of my business side of things, and my older sister has been managing my media commitments for the past 18 months. I love being able to keep it in the family and also being supported by companies that treat me like a family. How hard is it to succeed in your chosen field? What does it take? What characteristics and skills do you believe you need to have? With the younger generation of girls coming through with a ‘new wave’ of innovative surfing the talent is rising and the level of competition is getting harder and harder to beat. I think essential elements will always be balance, patience, ocean knowledge and trust of your own instinct, and of course a love for what you do, as that’s what allows you to keep up with the demands. What is the best part of your job? Being able to do what I love day in and day out and be paid for it is one of the most amazing things about my life. Traveling the world and discovering new things with no strict routine and lots of freedom, this is what I appreciate most. What is the most challenging, or least favourite part of your job? The worst part would have to be standing in lines at airports. I’m constantly rushing only to have wait in line. The need to be on two 16 our flights in 5 days, just to do my job properly is also a part I don’t really enjoy. What has been the highlight of your career so far? So far it has all been a highlight because I feel like it’s all happened so quickly. The high each win gives you, along with traveling to new and exciting places, meeting and interacting with amazing people from very different pockets of the world, and occasionally being treated like a super star and partying with the rich and famous (the Laureus Awards experience at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi was certainly one like this). It has all happened so quickly I still have to pinch myself to remember it’s real. What have you got to do as a result of being a pro surfer that you never dreamed in a million years you would get to do in your life? Meeting Richard Branson was certainly a dream come true. Over all, I feel it is the “off track” travel and discovery that you get to do as a professional surfer that is the most spectacular and is the part that still blows my mind. The remote native villages I’ve been into, canoeing between islands somewhere in the Indonesian jungles, things like that which my profession has enabled me to do. What are your favourite waves in the world? I can never go past my home break at Snapper Rocks. This wave is incredible because it’s so long and with the right conditions barrels every other wave. It’s also just a beautiful beach with warm water most of the year. Honolua Bay on Maui, Hawaii is another favourite of mine. This wave will always be special to me as it is where I won my first world title. HT (Hollow Trees) in the Mentawais is also at the top of my list. It’s a versatile wave and offers lots on most swells. It also has one of the most stunning island back drops imaginable to watch while you’re surfing.

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Djimon Gaston Hounsou is a Beninese-American actor and model. He received wide critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award nomination for his role as Cinqué in the 1997 Steven Spielberg film Amistad. He gained further notice as Juba, in the 2000 film Gladiator. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for In America, in 2004, becoming the first African to be nominated for an Oscar. In 2006, he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blood Diamond; he received Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Academy Award nominations for this performance. On February 24, 2007, it was announced that Hounsou would be the new Calvin Klein underwear model. Starting with the Fall 2007 season, he was featured in the brand’s global print advertising campaign including the launch of their new Calvin Klein Steel product line. Djimon is currently involved in the promotion of PUMA’s ‘Africa Unity Experience’, which will take place in Paris from May 28-29, an event to kick off the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It will include an Africa Unity Exhibition Game at 6pm on Friday May 28 when players from Cameroon, Ghana and Ivory Coast will participate in an exhibition match in front of a capacity crowd at the Stade Michel Hidalgo. The campaign also includes a free concert sponsored by PUMA and curated by Africa Express at 7.30pm on Friday May 28. Africa Express is a collective of African and Western musicians with the mission to bring African music to a wider audience – headliners include Tiken Jah Fakoly (Ivory Coast), M3NSA and M.ANIFEST (Ghana), Les Nubians (Cameroon) and Amazigh Kateb (Algeria). PUMA footballers and Djimon Hounsou will be making appearances.

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Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, has combined forces with African footballers participating in the 2010 World Cup to promote and show support for PUMA’s Unity Campaign. During the 100m race in Shanghai on May 23nd, the Jamaican sprinter’s race singlet bore the same graphics as the World’s first continental football kit which many of PUMA sponsored African football teams have been wearing to show solidarity for the continent of Africa. The colours of Bolt’s singlet represent the African soil and sky. The brown pantone was custom created by mixing soil samples from four African nations. The Africa Unity Kit has been recognized as the official 3rd kit for PUMA’s 13 sponsored African teams, four of which have qualified for World Cup (Cameroon, Algeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast). “Football is one of my favourite sports and I’m looking forward to watching the World Cup this summer. Last year, I had a chance to meet Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) and some of the other African football players,” said Usain Bolt. “It’s an honour to wear the same colours during the Shanghai meet that PUMA’s African football teams have been wearing throughout the year. This is one way that I can cheer them on from afar. Whether we play football or run track, we’re all united as part of PUMA family and as proud athletes representing our home countries.” Along with a unique graphic, Bolt’s singlet and race shorts contain state-of-the-art technology designed to maximize speed on the track. Proceeds from the sale of the replica fanwear Unity jerseys will help fund biodiversity programs in Africa.

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PUMA AFRICAN UNITY EXPERIENCE PUMA® hosted the ‘Africa Unity Experience’ in Paris on May 28th as the brand’s kick-off for World Cup™. Three PUMA-sponsored African Federations—Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana—participated in a series of high impact ‘Unity’ events to generate fan support, build consumer engagement in advance of South Africa and raise funds and awareness for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and PUMA’s 2010 International Year of Biodiversity project ‘Play For Life’. PUMA is the proud sponsor of seven football teams qualified for the World Cup 2010™, four of which hail from Africa. One of the most visible activities that took place during Africa Unity Experience was the Africa Unity Exhibition Game, where players from the Cameroon, Ghana and Ivory Coast Federations participated in an exhibition match in front of a capacity crowd at the Stade Michel Hidalgo in Saint-Gratien outside Paris. PUMA’s breakthrough Africa Unity Kit—the first-ever continental kit, designed to be worn as a third uniform for PUMA’s 13 African football teams—was showcased throughout the Africa Unity Exhibition Game. PUMA kicked off the game with a ‘Play For Life’ Fundraising Parcour incorporating some of Africa’s most renowned players including Cameroon captain Samuel Eto’o. Each skills rotation featured a real-time fundraising mechanic, determining PUMA’s parcour donation for UNEP’s 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. The better they performed, the more money the players generated to help support biodiversity programs in Africa.

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PUMA AFRICAN UNITY CONCERT On Friday, 28 May 2010, PUMA and Africa Express hosted a free music concert at La Cigale, featuring some of the hottest musical artists hailing from across Africa and Europe. The concert was held as part of the PUMA Africa Unity Experience, to provide a unified send-off for PUMA’s African football teams Ghana, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Cameroon as they travel to South Africa to compete in the World Cup. The concert also shone a light on UNEP’s 2010 International Year of Biodiversity and raised awareness and funds to support biodiversity preservation in Africa. Musicians from across Africa attended to represent their national African football team, underscoring the PUMA unity message. Along with collaborations and special guests, the headliners included Tiken Jah Fakoly (Ivory Coast), M3NSA and M.ANIFEST (Ghana), Les Nubians (Cameroon) and Amazigh Kateb (Algeria). Additionally, PUMA sponsored footballers, such as Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Hollywood actor Djimon Hounsou made a special appearance during the concert. The goal of AFRICA EXPRESS, which was created upon the initiative of Damon Albarn and other committed celebrities, is to put Africa, a land unheard of with regard to musical creation, in the spotlight, along with African music and the artists who play it. Since 2006, this has been coming together as a result of fruitful meetings taking place in various African countries with the aim of discovering different cultures and musical heritages, but with the overriding goal of sharing one universal language - music - with players from all these African musical scenes. Thus, artists from the worldwide pop rock, electro or hip hop scene, such as De la Soul, Massive Attack, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fat Boy Slim, among others, have come to Bamako, Mali, to Kinshasa, Congo, to Lagos, Nigeria and to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to each live out his own experience in Africa and with Africans in the midst of this tribe, Africa Express. Africa Express is also the organizer behind large-scale concerts in Europe. Musical mayhem takes place during shows, which last between 5 and 8 hours, under the form of a parade of artists, with diverse formations and collaborations that are often one of a kind. These are encounters between international artists equipped with the financial resources to be able to attract a large number of people and open the doors to huge festivals and events where very famous African artists such as Tinariwen, Amadou & Mariam, Baba Maal, Tony Allen, Cheick Tidiane Seck or Toumani Diabate and Oumou Sangare, just to name a few, are showcased. Since Africa Express’s inception, the musical scene has changed. Artists have become interested in Africa in general, and in this type of music in particular, and significant collaborations have met with great success.

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directory NIKE - www.nike.com

PREEN - www.preen.eu

ADIDAS X JEREMY SCOTT - www.adidas.com

BORCHER - www.borcher.net

NIKE ZOLTAR - www.nikestadiums.com

MARGIT BRANDT - www.brandt-design.dk

PUMA - www.puma.com

H & M - www.hm.com

LACOSTE - www.lacoste.com

NOIR - www.noirclothing.com

GILBERT - www.gilbertrugby.com

VERONICA B. VALLENS - www.veronicabvallenes.com

UMBRO- www.umbro.com

BJORG JEWELLERY - www.bjorgjewellery.com

FELDER & FELDER - www.felderfelder.com

WHYRED - www.whyred.com

PAUL SMITH - www.paulsmith.co.uk

ACNE - www.acnestudios.com

JEAN PIEREE BRAGANZA - www.jeanpierrebraganza.com

LIZETTE SNORGAARD - www.lizettesnorgaard.dk

TIMBERLAND - www.timberlandonline.co.uk

DIESEL - www.diesel.com

WE ARE REPLAY - www.replay.it/wearereplay

BEYOND THE VALLEY - www.beyondthevalley.com

LINA OSTERMAN - www.linaosterman.com

No6- www.no6-london.com

SAMSOE & SAMSOE - www.samsoesamsoe.dk

CHATEAU ROUX - www.chateauroux.co.uk

Y3 - www.Y-3.com

LOMOGRAPHY - www.lomography.com

YOUR EYES LIE: www.youreyesie.com

RAF SIMIONS - www.rafbyrafsimons.com

OZWALD BOATENG - www.ozwaldboateng.com

NO BALLS - www.noballs.co.uk

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