Mustapha Esadik, a Dutch-born journalist and teacher of Rif origin, has just released his book Football Champions of Africa, which explores political, social, and historical themes across 11 African countries through the lens of football. He describes its publication as a «long-held dream» and now hopes to secure translations in French, Arabic, and English to reach readers across Africa and its diaspora. The story of Utrecht-born Mustapha Esadik is remarkably rich, one that bridges two worlds, Morocco and the Netherlands; two vocations, journalism and teaching; and two passions, history and football. He was born in the 1980s to an immigrant father who had arrived in Utrecht in the 1960s, coming all the way from the Rif region, specifically Mtalssa. Like many Moroccan workers who migrated to Europe at that time, his father was later joined by the rest of the family, Mustapha's mother and siblings, allowing him to grow up in a vibrant, diverse environment. «My childhood in Utrecht was great. We lived in a neighborhood with Dutch families but also many with migrant backgrounds, Moroccan, Turkish, Surinamese», he told Yabiladi in a candid interview. Two worlds, many languages And his upbringing was not so different from many Moroccan immigrant families, marked by the almost mandatory summer trips to Morocco. «Every two years, we travelled to Morocco on vacation, visiting the villages of my father and mother in Mtalssa, and also Meknes», he recalled. These family roots, yearly trips «back home», and his Rif heritage shaped him into a multilingual from an early age. Mustapha learned Dutch at school, spoke Tarifit with his parents and siblings at home, learned Darija and Arabic at the mosque on weekends, and picked up English through films and music. «Growing up multilingual felt natural to me, and I look back on it as something very special. It allowed me to understand different cultures and express myself in different ways», he said. That linguistic and cultural versatility would later influence his academic and professional choices. «In total, I completed two bachelor's degrees and two master's degrees, journalism, history teaching, Dutch language & culture, and teaching Dutch», he shared. His motivation came from a deep fascination with «people's backgrounds, traditions and histories», including his own. «At first, it was a way to better understand my parents, my family, and myself. That's why history became a passion». Teaching, representation and journalism After working for six years as a journalist in radio and television, including at the Dutch national broadcaster NOS, covering domestic news, Mustapha decided to pause his journalistic career to dedicate himself fully to teaching. «I stopped journalism for a while because teaching is very demanding». Mustapha taught Dutch language and culture as well as history, fully immersing himself in a profession he loved, though it came with challenges. «Teenagers change every day. One day they're happy, the next they're sad. I had to learn not to take their behavior personally. I also had to learn to manage my own emotions. If I had a hard day, I still had to smile and show openness. Students pick up on your energy». «Over time, students appreciated my calm attitude and the fact they could always come to me. I became both a teacher and a role model», he said proudly. Representation was another crucial aspect of his role, something he rarely saw while growing up as a Moroccan child in the Netherlands. «For many students, Moroccan, Turkish, Surinamese, or others, it was important to see that someone with their background could be a teacher, especially a teacher of Dutch language and culture», he stressed. And this representation mattered for all students. «It was important for students without migrant backgrounds to actually meet someone with a migrant background, not only read about them in the newspapers». After six years of teaching, Mustapha eventually returned to journalism, this time combining it with teaching. A vacancy opened at the Utrecht School of Journalism, where he had once studied. «I applied and was given the opportunity to teach here. This was around 2021, during the COVID period, a moment of reflection for many of us». Teaching at the School of Journalism reignited his passion for the field. In 2023, during the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire, he launched a podcast, «Van Abidjan naar Tetouan» (From Abidjan to Tetouan), covering the tournament, reconnecting with another one of his lifelong passions: football. Africa through football That project sparked a bigger idea. «Football can tell a bigger story about a country, or even a continent». This became the driving force behind Mustapha's decision to write a book about African football, a way to tell political, economic, and social stories through a single lens. Three years later, his book is finally out: «Football Champions of Africa: Successes, Chances and Challenges». «In my book, I use football to explore themes like migration, apartheid, war and peace, political reforms, identity… Football reflects society. In Africa, football has a particularly strong impact, stronger, in my opinion, than in Europe or South America», he explained. His book examines 11 themes through 11 countries, each one having won at least one AFCON title and qualified at least once for a World Cup. For Morocco, the chosen theme was identity. «Morocco has been, at recent World Cups and Africa Cups, the number one country selecting players born outside the country they represent. That fact alone raises important questions about belonging and identity». «The connection between Moroccans born in Europe and Morocco is incredibly strong. I personally attended several Morocco matches in Europe. This bond plays a big role in why many players choose to represent Morocco». His chapters on the remaining countries explore themes such as decolonialism in Algeria, short-term thinking in football and public policy in Tunisia, the role of Ultras in Egypt's 2011 revolution, migration in Senegal, war and peace in Ivory Coast, emancipation and representation in world football in Ghana, leadership in Nigeria, institutional conflict in Cameroon, untapped potential in DR Congo, and the enduring legacy of apartheid in South Africa. For his research, Mustapha relied on academic journals and scientific articles (mostly in English), journalistic books on Africa or African football, newspaper archives, and historical documents from football federations and CAF. He also conducted numerous interviews with African football stars and professionals. «I interviewed many players, coaches and journalists, because personal stories are essential», he noted. Mustapha's book was officially released on November 19, a «long-held dream», now available in Dutch bookstores. His next ambition is to bring the book to readers beyond the Dutch-speaking world. His «big dream» is to secure publishers willing to translate it into French, Arabic, and English, the three languages he sees as essential for reaching African and diaspora readers.
