For most people, hearing the name Gambia makes you wonder: Where is this? But if you explain it - that is, the small African country that once feared the "five permanents", many people can look back: what? Are they strong in football too?
The correct answer to this question is
It wasn't strong before, and now it's hard to say. At least from the perspective of this African Cup of Nations, they who have reached the quarterfinals are enough to single out other countries in the "five constants", and it should be more than enough to scare the Chinese team.
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Winning a qualifier is a luxury
The Gambia is a small African country, the smallest country on the continent to be precise, with a total population of only 1.9 million. Like many other African countries, the history of the Gambia after independence is almost a history of coups, but after jammeh led 800 soldiers to a successful coup in 1994, the Gambia began to completely release itself – yes, don't doubt, that's all, much more decent than the Comoros across the continent that only need 29 people to capture the president.
The history of the gambia's release does not need to be said too much, the average person only needs to know that they have issued armed threats to the Soviet Union, the United States, the European Union, etc., and as a result, countries have said: Then I will sanction you first.
Before qualifying for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, the Gambia has participated in 8 World Cup qualifiers, plus more than 20 qualifiers for various other competitions, and the result is that one time has not advanced to the next round - see clearly, not from the qualifiers, but never entered the second round of the qualifiers, directly "a round trip".
The most recent was the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in South Africa, where they finished second in the group in the first qualifying round, only to be eliminated by the other groups by two less goals on goal difference, and finished 21st in the qualifiers, just one step away from the round of twenty.
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Grassroots leagues became the base of the pyramid
The former Gambia football is not without talent, nor is there a lack of channels for promotion. In 1972, Danish scouts unearthed a player nicknamed Biri Biri in the Gambia and brought him to Europe. In 1973, he became the first black player in the history of La Liga side Sevilla, scoring 120 goals in 158 games in five years.
In addition, there is a Gambian player who has played in China. In 2015, the Gambia League Golden Boot Steve was signed by the Chinese Super League Hangzhou Greentown and loaned to Yanbian in the Chinese First Division, scoring 17 goals in 26 games in the Chinese First Division that season to stage a miracle of overtaking, and in the following years, he also contributed 26 goals in 54 games in the Chinese Super League.
After the political stabilization, the Gambia people's enthusiasm for football was unleashed, and their domestic leagues became the best hotbeds. Although there are many players playing overseas in the current Gambia team competing in the African Cup of Nations, almost all of them are products of the Gambia's domestic league system.
From community football, to youth training institutions, to domestic clubs, and finally to the European League, the Gambia's football talent has begun to emerge. Striker Musa Barrow plays for Bologna in Serie A, centre-back Omar Colley plays in Sampdoria and Ebrima Colley has two goals at Verona this season...
Then, for the first time in history, it was a blockbuster after reaching the final round of the African Cup of Nations. Unbeaten in three of the group stages, mauritania and Tunisia were defeated 1-0 in two games, drew 1-1 with Mali, finished second in the round of sixteen and then beat Guinea 1-0, scoring 4 goals in 4 games and conceding only 1 goal in 4 games so far, achieving 3 victories.
Next, they will encounter the host Cameroon in the quarterfinals on January 30, will it create a further miracle?
Text/Hubei Daily reporter Guo Xiaoming
Photo/Weibo