‘Just another world’: an interpretive biography of the cultural transition of two West African footballers in Germany

Abstract

This paper explored the cultural and career transition experiences of two elite West African footballers in Germany using the approach of interpretive biography. By analysing data collected through semi-­structured interviews, the players’   narratives revealed a range of experiences emerging at different temporal points or life domains. The experiences included the psychosocial states of pre-transition, the challenges associated with language and weather, the increased demands of professionalism, the challenge of adapting to a new environment and routines of daily life, the superficiality of relationships and the attendant loneliness. It however, advanced literature by demonstrating how an African footballer in Europe may locate self and progress career within the European football economy and how a high-status African migrant athlete may use his social position to characterise self in a certain manner so as to exercise the right to belong.

Keywords:

• Cultural transition in sports
• African football migration
• African immigrants in Europe
• cross-cultural development
• biographical mapping

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the athletes who participated in this study. Special thanks also to Mr Oluwashina Okeleji who played a crucial role in accessing the participants’ community. My special appreciation to Prof. Dr. Ansgar Thiel for his critical reviews and insightful comments.

Disclosure statement

The author declares no conflict of interests.