Across Egypt, Burkina Faso and even further afield, Aston Villa’s history with the continent of Africa is a long one.
Words: Ivan McDouall | @Ivan_McDouall
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The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be played in 2024, is underway in Côte d’Ivoire. There’s a deep irony from Aston Villa’s point of view when Bertrand Traore, the most common injured person, threw off the shackles of Birmingham-based fitness battles. to score the winning goal for his beloved Burkina Faso in the 1-0 win over Mauritania (which, not surprisingly, had a player called AK 47).
Traoré’s move to B6, as of yesterday, has come to an end, but his commitment to Burkina Faso’s national cause has never been in doubt, with some perhaps cruelly suggesting that Bodymoor represents a place of recovery between pauses abroad. Let’s not forget, of course, that we may not be enjoying the adventures of the Conference League without Bertie’s beaten winner against Leicester last season accompanied during his decisive opener against Nottingham Forest. We can also enjoy fond memories of that icy goal against West Brom behind closed doors. through COVID.
Bertrand Traore is the latest African player to don the claret and blue, but there is a long (chequered?) history of Aston Villa players who have called the continent of Africa home.
Prepare.
Gordon Hodgson was an Anfield legend but Villa’s first African player
The first African player to wear burgundy and blue is Gordon Hodgson, born in the Transvaal colony, now in South Africa. Hodgson, a double-talented sportsman (he also played cricket in Lancashire) who made a name for himself at Liverpool, where, despite struggling times for the club as a whole, he scored a phenomenal 241 goals in 377 games. He still sits third on Liverpool’s all-time goals list; For context, Ian Rush leads and Mo Salah is fifth. In this context, probably a wonder that he went to Villa, hence the relegation and 28 games later he went to Leeds.
The Zambian pair have made four appearances for the Villans
Next up were Aston Villa’s well-documented Zambian pair – Emment Kapengwe and Freddie Mwila who were at the club for nine months between 1969 and 1970. The stuff of urban legend, then manager Tommy Docherty plucked them from obscurity with the Atlanta Chiefs where they had caught the eye against touring English teams. Four appearances between them probably says it all but they will be remembered as the first Zambians to play in England. There is an interesting link also in that they met defender Brian Tiler at Aston Villa who somewhat incongruously became the Zambian team manager in 1978. A small world indeed.
‘Uncle Albert’ is fondly remembered at Aston Villa.
The most represented African country in Aston Villa’s history is Ghana. The first was Nii Lamptey, a fickle young talent who never put the fireplace on the ground. He also lived a tragic and unbelievable life, more on that here.
Jordan Ayew’s reputation was likely affected by the fact that he was with Villa at a critical time for the club. Signed for £10. 8m via Tim Sherwood, 10 goals in 58 appearances were the end product, but there is no doubt that Ayew was part of a team so maligned that he missed out on all recognition. He was able to rebuild his reputation at Swansea (with his brother) and then at Crystal Palace, where he continues to contribute. The son, of course, of the Champions League winner (with Marseille). Abedi Pelé.
Albert Adomah is fondly remembered, who was of course part of the team that won promotion in 2019. During his time at Villa, he consistently contributed and scored goals and was in fact the top smart goalscorer in 2016-17. lives in the collective affection of Villa fans as he frantically celebrates against the Blues for his current club, QPR.
Idrissa Gueye was a bright spark in an otherwise torrid season.
Four countries have provided two players for Villa – Senegal, Cameroon, DR Congo and Egypt.
Of the Senegalese contingent Idrissa Gueye suffered in the same way as Ayew by being associated with a terrible moment for the club, before dramatically rebuilding his reputation at Everton and, wildly, then PSG where he was widely regarded as a world-class player. Habib Beye also played for PSG before – via Newcastle – rocking up at Villa in 2009. It was a strange signing at the time – and even more so in hindsight – and Beye never really managed to get a string of performances together. Players like Carlos Cuellar and Luke Young would be preferred by successive managers over the Senegal international.
The Cameroonian contingent did not achieve much in B6.
It seems fair to dismiss the Cameroonian representation of Villa: Jean II Makoun and Eric Djemba Djemba. Part of Villa’s history, of course, but there’s nothing to see here.
The arrival of Yannick Bolasie made the fans take off.
The next two are more interesting. The Democratic Republic of Congo has also provided two Aston Villa players: Yannick Bolasie and Aaron Tshibola. Fans were seduced by Bolasie at the start of his Villa career with explosive, wide-ranging play and dream-promoting tricks as he prepared for promotion. In the end, it all went unceremoniously, which was a real shame. Tshibola arrived with wonderful fanfare as a young man from Reading, but he has yet to hit the mark. At just 29 years old, he has lately been exercising his industry in the United Arab Emirates, recalling his relatively very important (at the time) solitary target against Newcastle in 2016.
Neither Elmohamady or Trezeguet need any introduction.
The Egyptian duo of Trezeguet and Ahmed El Mohamady want no introduction. The ‘goal scored in Egypt’ in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Leicester at Villa Park was a moment of happiness as the two played side-by-side in Villa’s first Premier League. season. Elmohamady has been an excellent servant for Villa, playing 113 league games. He now continues to build the club as an ambassador. Trezeguet’s time was shorter, but he scored goals in the relegation war after the first COVID lockdown in 2020. Good memories of both, and arguably the club’s most outstanding African players.
Gestede’s time at Aston Villa was short-lived.
Rudy Gestede, born in France, but undercover in Benin from the perspective of foreign football, will have a place in my Villa’s history, as he scored two goals in my son’s first game at Villa Park (against Rotherham in 2016). His call is also mentioned every time we play at Bournemouth, because he also scored the last time we beat them at their stadium. And that’s it, dear reader.
Kodjia’s first season was incredible – but it was all downhill from there.
Jonathan Kodjia has joined a long list of strikers who aim to be the “answer” to an age-old question about who can score 20 goals per season for Aston Villa Football Club. To be honest, the semi-prolific Ivorian in his first season with 19 goals but an injury, and then Tammy Abraham forced him to leave the full-back altogether or retire to the wing. However, a popular relic of the championship era and last noticed in Ligue 2 in France.
The most famous Tanzanian ever and Villa’s last goal scorer in a major Cup final.
The first and only Tanzanian to play football in the Premier League, Ally Samatta, was seen as the solution to update Wesley following the Brazilian’s serious injury at the hands of Ben me. To be honest, he had a similar track record to Wes, so in many ways, it was a real upgrade. However, until Aston Villa reach another cup final, we can look back on his glorious goal against Manchester City at Wembley in 2020 to ease the pain.
Nakamba is a much-loved figure at the club.
Many Aston Villa enthusiasts, of course, will have fond memories of Zimbabwe’s wonderful Nakamba. Always smiling on the pitch (my own son has noticed the benefits of this many times) and subjected (me) to a decent chant about hatred of Les Bleus. Marv What HeArrayHe helped publicize Luton and is back on the most sensible flight. I still don’t wish him any best.
And there are others!
Christopher Samba’s vision of the Republic of the Congo projected in front of him was the subject of much hilarity during the Steve Bruce era. As fun as the Malian Yacouba Sylla’s song – “He love the Villa”. And let’s not do it in Togo. Moustapha Salifou, who, despite a forged 2006 World Cup and described as Togo’s Zidane by compatriot Emmanuel Adebayor, only made a handful of appearances in the burgundy and blue, especially when Martin O’Neill replaced the whole team against Slavia. Prague in the UEFA Cup.
Finally, this random and evocative walk into the afterlife probably ends in a strange path. Curtis Davies played for Villa between 2007 and 2011, receiving great applause. He represented England U21 and was involved in several full teams at Villa. however, at the age of 38, he represented Sierra Leone in a strong manner.
And there you have it.
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