‘Some people believe football is a matter of life and death . . . I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.’
– Bill Shankly, former Liverpool manager
Africa’s love for soccer extends beyond the grave, as seen on these gravestones where a soccer ball, a team or a favourite position on the field is included as a way to remember the person or to accompany them to the other side.
Teams mentioned are usually England premier league clubs, especially Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City. And Liverpool’s anthem ‘You’ll never walk alone’, from the musical Carousel, are apt words to have embossed on your grave.
The late Liverpool manager, Bill Shankly, may have been emphasising the importance of the game in his own life when he uttered his famous quote, but it was readily adopted by soccer fans worldwide. It seems that rather than football being a matter of life and death, the love for the game supersedes both.