As the 4th edition of the Orange African Nations Championship enters the penultimate stage today and tomorrow, the tournament has been interesting  and entertaining  with quality football displayed by participating teams.

The final will be between Congo DR against shockers Mali tomorrow at the Stade Amahoro, a match that will be preceded with the play offs between losing semi finalists Ivory Coast against Guinea at the same venue.

Prior  to the start of the tournament, the Confederation of African Football released a list of participating teams with a total of  close to 370 players lining up for the tournament from 16 Nations.

Most players have names they would like or prefer to be called with  instead of their normal official names. Some names the players drive from their fans back home while others often crafts them by themselves. It is a common norm in Africa to have such names and when CAF produced the list of the participating players they also crafted in their nicknames. Other players proffered to use on of their official names as the preferred nicknames or names while others gave  totally different names.

 

Countries like Tunisia, Cameroon and Ivory Coast  had most of their players retaining their names as nicknames while Nigeria and Congo had some players with funny nicknames. zimbabwe had the highest number of players with nicknames not their official names.

 

Nigerian player like Ibenegbu Ikechukwu Bartholomew proffered his nickname ‘mosquito’  while his counterpart Aggress Obus Prince prefer the nickname ‘Magic7’.

Niger player Mahamadou Souley Salamon was referred to as Wenger a nickname derived from   Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger.

Guinea enterprising  player who plays  for Horoya has Zidane gas his nickname while Mali’ s Abdoulaye Diarra and Issaka Samake have ‘Blo’  and ‘Chaka’  respectively. 

Herman  Waswa of Uganda is the only Ugandan player with a proffered name which is not official. The KCCA striker preffered ‘Dazo’ 

 

Zambia too had their tale of nicknames with goalkeeper Jacob Banda preferring to be called ‘spider boy’ . his team mate Nchanga Rangers Patson Daka proffered ‘Suarez’  named  after the Barcelona striker. Zanaco’s keeper Rachar Kola proffered shortening Rachar to ‘Racha’  while Zesco’s talisman Daut Musekwa preferring ‘Dauti’. Sensational Zambian enterprising winger Clatous Chota Chama who was a marvellous to watch was nicknamed ‘Aboutrika’  after Egyptian Mohammed About Rika. 

 

Perhaps the most humorous of the nicknames were from the Zimbabweans,   Congolese and Ethiopians. 

Ethiopians had players like Tegegn Anteneh nicknamed ‘Antu’, Seyoum Tesfaye as  ‘Moges’, Dereje Alemu as ‘Merkeb’  are some of the Ethiopians with nicknames that interests. 

 

Zimbabwe  had almost all the players with funny nicknames. Soka25east  sampled some of the nicknames from both Zimbabwe and Congo. 

Here is the list for Zimbabwe where names like Rooney, Ozil and Totti are some of the famous footballers names used. 

Donavan Benard-   Imicah

Elisha Muroiwa-Commander

Ocean Mushure-Ngode

Lawrence Mhlanga-Dazzy.

Joel Ngodzo – Josta

Hardlife Zvirekwi-Hd

Rodreck Mutuma-The Prince.

John Gerald Takwara-General.

Farai Edwin-Dingira

Knox Mutizwa-Mujome

Ronald Chitiyo-Rooney

Bruce Kangwa-Amaruce

Stephen Mukatuka-Hawksaw

Raphael Manuvire-Ozil

Nqobizitha Masuku-Khulu

Tatenda Marshal Mkuruva-l Chitate

Tatenda Marshal Mudehehwe-Sonic

francisco Zekumbawira-Toti

Moses Demera-Mozy

William Manondo – Zozinyo

Edmore Chirambadare-Spanner

Blessing Sasha-pistol

Elvis Chipezeze-Chipa

For the Congo DR side the players have names likes of Ley Matampi nicknamed Ngumi, Junior Baometu as Moke and Padou Bompunga as Botoli

 

 

The others

heretier Luvumbu as Nzinga

Frank Mfuki as Kilala

Sedrick Ngulubi as Kilua

Ricky Tulenge as Sindani

Nelson Munganga as Omba

Jean Marc Makusu-Mundele

Guelord Landu as Makiese

Joel Kimwaki as Mpela

Guy Lusadisu asBasisila

Jonathan Bolingi as Merikani

Yannick Bangala as Litombo

Merveille Bope as Bokadi

This names preffered by the players are commonly used by them and their fans when playing back in their respective leagues. No