Football and the representation of history: the Senegalese 2002 ‘success story’ in football cartoons and advertisements

This paper considers the Senegalese national football team, Les Lions de la Teranga (Lions of Hospitality), and its successful participation at the 2002 African Cup of Nations in Mali and the FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan. By analysing Senegalese newspaper cuttings, advertising and football comics and cartoons published before and during the international tournaments, it explores the visual worlds created around the national football team in 2002. The first part of the paper demonstrates how Senegalese cartoons, advertising and press covering constructed a ‘Senegalese football epic’ around the national team which was imbued with historical meaning. The second part reflects on how football comics and cartoons, in particular, commented on the political implications of the Senegalese football ‘success story’ on an international level (around the opening match against France) and in domestic politics (in relation to the Senegalese government which tried to take advantage of the public euphoria, but was criticized).