Show notes
What happens when the nations that invented football start losing their grip on it? How does a team representing a country that doesn't officially exist end up touring the world and unnerving an empire? And why did thirty-one African nations refuse to play at all?Afua and Peter follow football into the age of decolonisation — Algeria's phantom side, Nkrumah's Black Stars, a seventeen-year-old in tears in Stockholm — as the colonised stop asking permission and take the game for themselves.[0:00] 1950: the empires are gone, but nobody's told the World Cup[6:55] Bandung — half the planet decides to stop being spectators[9:27] Algeria's ghost team: the national side that didn't officially exist[12:46] Nkrumah, the Black Star, and building a nation out of nothing[17:48] South Korea lose 9–0 — and it still counts as a triumph[19:51] A teenager weeps on his teammates' shoulders and reorders the game[26:37] Thirty-one nations walk out of the World Cup at once[29:33] Eusébio: the man winning for the empire that denied his ownJoin Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more.legacy.supportingcast.fmStay connected with Legacy:Instagram: @originallegacypodcastTikTok: @legacy_productionsExplore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas:Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.comJoin Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more.legacy.supportingcast.fmStay connected with Legacy:Instagram: @originallegacypodcastTikTok: @legacy_productionsExplore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
