Patrice Evra, the French football star, has been described as a powerful ambassador for Africa by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his outstanding career, the strength of his personality, and his commitment to helping bring change to the continent.
He indicated that the change was not only about the image but also about the reality and substance of people’s lives because that was what was most important.
President Akufo-Addo made the remarks when Evra, a former Manchester United and France national team captain, paid him a courtesy call at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.
The Senegal-born footballer is in the country in collaboration with Chipper Cash, an African cross-border payments company, to rally support for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and raise funds for football fans to cheer their countries at the tournament in Qatar, which runs from November 20 to December 18.
Evra, who had already visited Senegal, Cameroun, and Nigeria, had dedicated himself to changing Africa’s image from one of a poverty-stricken continent to one in which young people have the confidence to stay in their countries and succeed in life.
President Akufo-Addo said it was encouraging that sporting greats such as 41-year-old Evra, despite all the successes they had chalked up in their careers, continued to have the commitment to the collective welfare of Africa, noting that it was reassuring and a tremendous example for all the young people.
Evra, who won five English Premier League titles with Manchester United and two Italian Serie A crowns with Juventus, noted that though he was born in the Senegalese capital of Dakar, he opted to play for France where he grew up as a child after his family settled there.
“But I understood the politics later; When you win you are a French, but when you lose you are a Senegalese player,” he added.
He said although Africa had an image of a poverty-stricken continent, it was endowed with a lot of talents, deep creativity and rich resources.
“I am not here only with Chipper Cash but also here to interact with people to enhance the image of Africa”, he said, and added that he had also embarked on a project dubbed: ‘Ending Violence Against Children, and intimated that he would soon have discussions with the leadership of the World Health Organisation.
Now a coach, since ending his playing career in 2018, Evra said he was also in the country to help raise funds for Ghana’s participation in the upcoming World Cup as part of a goal to see an African team win the global trophy.
