Football’s proclivity to foment unruly behaviour is nothing new. The ugly brawl during the Carling Cup final between Chelsea and Arsenal last Sunday was just another instance. Crowd violence brought Italian football to an abrupt halt earlier this month. But football is not all about violence and rage. It has the charisma to halt wars. One such episode was in 1969 when Brazilian legend Pele’s visit to a war-torn Congo inspired the rebels to put down their weapons and suspend fight to attend the game. “It was the biggest moment of my life, watching Pele up-close. I had the responsibility to mark him and after the match he patted me on my back,” recalls Jacques Yvon Ndolou, the captain of the Republic of Congo’s football team of 1969 and now the Defence Minister of that country. Ndolou is on an official visit to New Delhi. “It was like a dream, thousands of screaming fans jammed the streets to catch a glimpse of the megastars of Santos. It was a rare day off from the anger, hunger, hopelessness that surrounded us in that era,” Ndolou added. The excitement on his face made up for the language barrier that was seemingly curtailing his expression.That day at Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of Congo, would go down as the watershed moment in the history of the nation. It was the stepping-stone to a football revolution, which culminated in their victory in the final of the African Nations Cup in 1972. And on that fateful day in Cameroon, the captain recalls: “Holding that trophy after a win over Mali, we though that we had conquered the world.”Ironically, that win remains the only success of the Republic of Congo in the African championship. The country again got embroiled in turbulent politics which effectively nipped in the bud their football that was just taking shape. No wonder, at a time when African football is making its presence felt in leagues all over the world, Congo is nowhere in picture. “We missed the bus,” Ndolou concedes.“Our football was just getting up on its feet and then a series of political upheavals threw it completely off the track. It gives me great pleasure to see African players like Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Samuel Eto’o stamp their authority in the most competitive environments. I wish some day players from Congo will also dominate world football,” he added.But the future of Congo football appears promising after the juniors dismantled the existing order to lift the African Youth championship held in Brazzaville earlier this month. With the victory they now qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada later this year. “I hope we can capitalise on this and re-establish our status in football,” Ndolou added. Ndolou, who is also the vice-president of his country’s Olympic Committee, expressed his desire to foster football ties with India. On being informed about the number of African players in different leagues in India, he said: “I would like to invite football authorities to come to our country. I think our football can only grow if we share the expertise,” he added.With Africa being at the pulse of global football in view of the 2010 World Cup slated to be held at South Africa, it’s a great opportunity for nations like Congo to resurrect their football and morale.
