Pauline OdhiamboIt’s "football in a box" — that's how many footballers describe padel. And right now, Africa's biggest names can't get enough of it.
If you haven't heard of padel yet, it's time to catch up. Born in Mexico in 1969, the padel sport now boasts over 30 million players worldwide and has attracted several footballs stars.
Africans are leading the charge. Egypt’s Mohamed Salah is a well-known padel fanatic in the Liverpool dressing room, having famously teamed up with Thiago Alcântara against Jürgen Klopp and Pep Lijnders during a training camp in the UAE.
Cameroon legend Samuel Eto'o has been spotted on padel courts since his Barcelona days, even sharing a court with world champion padel players.
Morocco's Hakim Ziyech was recently seen playing in Amsterdam alongside former international Mbark Boussoufa. And Cote d’Ivoire’s Didier Drogba? Well, he can't stop singing its praises — with many fellow players often naming him as their dream padel partner.
So, why are so many footballers taking up padel?
The game plays like tennis, looks like squash, but is said to be easier than both.
‘Happier’ knees
The court is just a third of a tennis court, surrounded by glass walls, and the ball can bounce off them after hitting the ground — meaning longer rallies, more laughs, and happier knees.
For footballers, it's a match made in heaven. Tactical movement, doubles teamwork, split-second decisions — padel is basically a miniature rehearsal of football intelligence. And it gives many professional football players, including those who have retired, that competitive rush without the brutal physical toll of elite pitch training.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo are both hooked. Ronaldo has even invested in padel clubs in Portugal, while Messi co-owns a team in the Hexagon Cup with Agüero. Zlatan Ibrahimović, Neymar and Lewandowski all play it too.
Meanwhile, South Africa's Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams, alongside teammates Themba Zwane, Khuliso Mudau and Oswin Appollis, recently swapped boots for rackets at a star-studded celebrity exhibition in Johannesburg.
On the professional side, Egypt's Youssef Hossam and South Africa's Richard Ashforth and Luan Krige lead the charge in Africa.
From Cairo to Cape Town, from the dressing room to the glass court, one thing is clear: football's love affair with padel is only just getting started.
