The weight of the Three Lions: Football, colonialism, diaspora
Key takeaways
- As England face Ghana at the World Cup, divided loyalties reveal how empire, migration and race still shape football’s sense of belonging.
- Things like this make me question my allegiances.
- This is for the keep-sports-out-of-politics crowd: Many of England’s 26 players are sons or grandsons of people from Caribbean and African countries.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
As England face Ghana at the World Cup, divided loyalties reveal how empire, migration and race still shape football’s sense of belonging.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo England's forward Bukayo Saka (C) and teammates take part in a MD-1 training session ahead of the 2026 World Cup football tournament match between England and Ghana at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City on June 22, 2026 [AFP]When England takes on Ghana, a former British colony, there is something you should pay attention to. Watch Kobbie Boateng Mainoo, one of the most talented young players in all of football, then watch Brandon Thomas-Asante, Jerome Opoku and Antoine Semenyo. All four of these young men share very similar backgrounds and stories. All four born in England, socially and culturally shaped by English football, all with Ghanaian heritage. Yet only Kobbie Mainoo plays for England, while the others play for Ghana.
Things like this make me question my allegiances. They make me wonder who I should truly root for. But we will get to that.