Africa Cup of Nations a tournament for lower-league heroes

Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah,Victor Osimhen and Mohammed Kudus are just a few of the big stars that will play at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). They carry the hopes of their nations. But their teammates who play club football at a much lower level have their own role to play, and often quite magical tales to tell.

Take Mozambique striker Stanley Ratifo.

Born in Halle, Germany, Ratifo has been playing for his father's homeland since 2017 and ever since his debut has been heralded as a hero. Ratifo scored the winner in injury time to seal Mozambique's first ever win against neighbours Zambia. Six years later, fans still talk to him about that goal.

"It's crazy," Ratifo told DW. "Every time I play for Mozambique, I'm celebrated like a hero at the airport. I feel like a real star and I enjoy it," added the 29-year-old, who plays his football in Germany's fifth tier for CfR Pforzheim.

"Life there is so different. As a European who has never been there it's hard to imagine. The crowds, the chaos on the streets, plus the constant euphoria surrounding something like football. We don't know anything like this intensity in Europe."

Ratifo, who is also a successful musician in his free time, can't imagine living there but the chance to play for Mozambique at AFCON is truly a career moment.

Haji Mnoga and Ben Starkie feel the same about representing Tanzania in the tournament.

Mnoga plays in England's fifth division for Aldershot Town, while Starkie plays in the seventh division for Ilkeston Town on a dual registration with sixth division team Alfreton Town.

The pair made their debuts back in 2022, have been learning Swahili since and have found the experience has completely changed them.

"I went on holiday to Tanzania and Zanzibar every couple of years. "I've been there, lived it and I was prouder to represent Tanzania, more than I was England," Mnoga told Sky Sports.

"The love for football in Tanzania is a different type of love," Starkie said. "They just live and breathe football. I'm not saying we don't in England, but the whole culture around football is completely different.

"The love you receive is crazy and the atmosphere in our stadium is nuts. It's not a small stadium," Starkie said of Tanzania's 60,000 seater.

"Most of it was full when we played Morocco. I've never experienced a packed-out stadium in England."

'Fighting for a nation'

Also in the Tanzania squad are central midfielder Mo Sagaf and winger Tarryn Allarakhia, who play in England's fifth division for Boreham Wood and Wealdstone respectively. Tanzania did not qualify last time out and this is just their third appearance in AFCON history, but their squad has players who are thrilled to get the chance to play on the big stage.

Omare Gassama made his debut for Mauritania in June 2023 and after the win vs. Gabon which sent Mauritania to the tournament, Gassama spoke about the meaning of playing for your country.

"Playing for the national team is quite an experience," Gassama told French newspaper La Nouvelle Republique.

"When you're on the national team, you don't get the same impressions as when you're at club level. Here, you're fighting for a nation. Having the people behind you is different from having a city behind you."

Combine these stories with those of the domestic-based players who are keen to show the world the quality of their football at home, the Africa Cup of Nations is a tournament where the world's largest, wealthiest sport still pitches lower-league players against some of the stars of the game. In modern football, that is rare and something to be celebrated.

Edited by Chuck Penfold.