Football (soccer, for the American audience) is so much more than just a game throughout the world, including across the continent of Africa. It’s a way of life, a source of unrelenting passion and joy — and, for some, an escape. The hope and power infused in those 90 minutes can make a nation stand still.
Leicester City stars Wilfred Ndidi and Patson Daka joined the By Way of Africa series to discuss the impact of football in their respective nations. Ndidi, 28, hails from Nigeria, and made his Premier League debut with Leicester in 2017. Daka, a 26-year-old striker from Zambia, joined Leicester in 2021, by way of Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg. The players discuss the pride they share and the responsibilities they carry in wearing the colors of their nations. Ndidi and Daka also share how manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has ignited a new energy within the Leicester City squad and reveal the experience that strengthened the team’s mindset.
*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Can you talk about the cultural significance of football in Africa? What does the sport mean to your respective countries, Nigeria and Zambia, and how is it celebrated?
Patson Daka: In Zambia, the sport is almost a way of life. I think it helps a lot of people—it changes lives. A lot of people find joy and happiness in sports and the way it unites the nation. I think it’s one great way of helping people to stay away from [things like] drug abuse or any other challenges that one can face.
Football helped me a lot because instead of [doing negative things], I would find myself playing the sport and just being with the people I love and enjoy spending time with.
It also helped me to grow also as an individual because it teaches you a lot of things, like discipline, how to live with people, and how to [have] community. I think [football] brings unity as well.
Morocco’s defender #5 Nayef Aguerd (L) fights for the ball with Zambia’s forward #20 Patson Daka during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 group F football match between Zambia and Morocco at the Stade Laurent Pokou in San Pedro on January 24, 2024. (Photo by SIA KAMBOU / AFP) (Photo by SIA KAMBOU/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Wilfred Ndidi: In Nigeria, football actually unifies the country. It doesn’t matter where you’re from—what tribe or anything. People don’t see that. As long as you just go for it, so many people gather to watch.
For example, if Nigeria was competing in the World Cup and there was an election that day, people would want to go watch football. That’s how massive it is. It’s a cultural thing. Every young kid wants to play football. As Patson said, it actually helps people stay away from [bad things]. In Nigeria, football is really, really massive and so is the support you [receive].
Can you describe the pride you feel when wearing your country’s jersey? What does it symbolize for you personally?
Ndidi: It’s a privilege. In Nigeria, we have over 200 million people, so coming to represent and put on the shirt is a privilege and you will never take it for granted. I get goosebumps every game we play when we’re singing the national anthem. As a child, I used to watch the guys who played and see how the whole community would get quiet when the anthem was playing. So, for me to be there now is really amazing. There are no real words to explain the feeling when you put that jersey on.
Daka: You can’t really [put] the feeling into words, unless you experience it, because it’s a dream come true. There are a lot of people that play football, and you’re one of [the few] who gets to represent your nation.
When I was young, I remember when Zambia won the 2012 African Cup of Nations tournament. I was at home, watching the game. I think it was around 10 PM, but after the game, everyone went out into the streets without thinking about anything—they were just celebrating!
Knowing the unity that [football] brings to the nation, and that you are part of that equation which brings people together — that unites the nation and brings joy — it’s just an amazing feeling that you can’t trade for anything. It’s something that you always want to continue experiencing for the rest of your life!
Patson, you’ve said that everything you do is for people back home in Zambia. Could you talk about the sense of responsibility that comes with that? What does it mean to you knowing that the next generation looks up to you, while older generations take pride in your achievements?
Daka: It’s a responsibility that I love because I know that I have this [duty] to shape the next generation. [My actions] give them direction because they brought me to where I am today. I’m teaching a lot of people how to live, even without knowing them or saying anything. I was once in that position where I was looking up to other people—seeing the way they were living and what made them succeed. Now, to be in this position, I think it’s a responsibility that I really appreciate. You have to be the change that you want to see, and that’s what I try to do.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 3: Patson Daka of Leicester City celebrates scoring the third goal for Leicester City during the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at King Power Stadium on December 3, 2024 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Wilfred, you’ve started a foundation called “OWN”. Why is it so important for you to use your platform to give back?
Ndidi: When I was a kid, my dad was a soldier. I didn’t have anything. I had to go in the streets and sell things to make money to buy boots or to [help] my mom so giving back is a natural thing for me. It’s not based on entitlement or anything. People look up to you and see what you’re doing. It’s a way to touch base with the community and actually reach out. It really doesn’t matter how much you see me on TV—we’re all humans and [giving back] is a sign of encouragement to make them feel loved.
Courage, unity, responsibility, and respect—those four words are written on the floor of your dressing room. How do these values resonate with the cultural values of your African heritage, and in what ways has your upbringing influenced your commitment to them?
Ndidi: It has influenced me so much. When I was young, those words were natural to me because I grew up in a military zone and they were a strict part of my daily upbringing. No matter where you go, you have to respect people and have the courage to just be yourself.
Daka: Growing up I was taught by my family that if you want to live with others, you have to learn to be responsible for your own actions because every action has consequences...[Respect] is one of the core values where I come from. You have to know how to live with other people.. you must show respect to everyone. You have to have the courage to stand up for yourself and what’s right. You have to be humble enough to recognize when you’re wrong and take responsibility.
These values have helped me a lot, and for us as a club, you have courage knowing that you have got everyone behind you to support you. You take that responsibility for the team as well.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 3: Patson Daka of Leicester City celebrates with Bobby De Cordova-Reid of Leicester City, Boubakary Soumare of Leicester City, Stephy Mavididi of Leicester City and Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester City after scoring the third goal for Leicester City during the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at King Power Stadium on December 3, 2024 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Thank you for sharing that! Switching gears I want to talk a little bit about this season. What has the transition been like with Ruud van Nistelrooy? What does he bring to this group and how has the energy shifted since he’s taken over?
Ndidi: He’s made everyone understand the direction he wants us to be in. He’s given us the plan and the push to be more confident because having coached against us with Manchester United, he knows the quality in the room. He’s also helped us understand that we have to get back to the basics and just do our thing. He’s leading us based on the direction he wants us to go, and we’re heading in that direction. Slowly but steadily, we’ll get there.
Do you feel like there is any pressure at this point in the season given the challenges you’ve faced so far? If so, how are you dealing with it?
Daka: Well, it’s not even just about how the season began—pressure is always there. It will always be there. If you’re winning, there’s pressure for you to keep winning games. If you’re not winning, there’s pressure for you to start winning. The pressure will always be there, but the most important thing is to make sure that you rise above it. You don’t have to let it define you. As Wilfred has said, we know the quality that’s in the team. It’s just about making sure we follow what the manager asks of us, sticking together, going back to the basics, and enjoying the game—that’s what [Ruud van Nistelrooy] tells us.
We have to enjoy football. This is what we chose to do. We have to love and enjoy what we’re doing, knowing that Wilfred has got my back. He’s going to follow me and fight for me. That helps us a lot, so we don’t have to be so worried. We just have to focus on every game that we play. Whether pressure is there or not, we have to enjoy it and just make sure that we play our game.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 4: Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester City with Patson Daka of Leicester City during the Leicester City Training Session at Leicester City Training Ground, Seagrave on April 24, 2024 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Leicester City FC via Getty Images
You guys fought your way back to the Premier League, what did your experiences last season teach you and how have they made this group stronger?
Ndidi: It has made us stronger because it’s difficult down there in the Championship. We knew how difficult it was, what we had to do, the travel, and the games we had to play week in and week out. Coming up, we don’t want to experience that anymore. It has shaped us and our mindset, knowing that not every team that [gets relegated] comes back up immediately—they struggle. Going forward, that mentality stays with us, so we’re trying to stay focused and win games.
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal chases for the ball with Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Leicester City FC at Emirates Stadium on September 28, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Editor’s Note: By Way of Africa is a series committed to highlighting the talent and stories from the African continent and its diaspora. African stories are worth telling, and the culture—all of the languages, tribes, and traditions—is worth celebrating. Embedded in these narratives is a profound testament to the diligence, discipline, and work ethic deeply ingrained in African heritage. Whether born on the continent or dispersed across the globe, the contributions of these stories to society resound uniquely, by way of Africa.
