By Dayo Yusuf
In what is widely seen as a celebration of footballing life and achievement as well as promoting history, the jersey of Gambia’s striker Adama Bojang has been admitted in the FIFA museum of football.
The striker’s no. 20 Jersey was presented to the FIFA Director of Competition responsible for the Mendoza Zone in Argentina, after Gambia’s national team, The Scorpions, made it to the knock out stage of the on-going FIFA Under 20 world Cup.
‘' My jersey going into the FIFA Museum, it’s a big privilege for me,’’ Bojang told TRT Afrika.
With the museum jersey placement decision, Adama Bajong, 19, has now cemented his name on the walls of international football.
Gambia’s U-20 squad have displayed surprise talent coming from underdogs in the tournament to top their table with seven points matching big wigs like England and hosts Argentina.
But much of the success of The Scorpions is owed to Bojang, who carried the team with zest since their opening match at the Mendoza Stadium that left both fans and foes in shock, with a stunning winner goal against Honduras.
Why it matters
This performance left Bojang’s name echoing in the stadium long after the match was over, and then FIFA came knocking to ask for his jersey.
''I feel so excited about it because I am the first Gambian to have such. It’s a big achievement for me and I’ll give thanks to my teammates and the coaching staff for the great effort," the Gambian star says.
Also speaking to TRT Afrika on the phone, Abdoulie Bojang, the coach of the young Scorpions says, "this is a clear testimony that Gambian football is going towards the right direction and I am very pleased to see our striker's Jersey at the FIFA Museum."
Many people took to the internet to praise the player as a force to reckon with as the team prepares for their knock out match against Urugauy on Thursday.
Based in Zurich Switzerland, the FIFA Football Museum, was created in 2016 recognise and preserve historic achievements and heritage in the world’s biggest sport.
According to FIFA’s website, the museum will promote emotional connection bringing football lovers together as a family.
Adama Bojang’s No 20 jersey has been signed by all his team mates and officials. He now joins a handful of football legends from Africa whose jerseys made it to the museum including Ghana’s Assamoah Gyan for his brilliant performance during the 2010 World Cup when his country made history by qualifying to the quarter finals.
Another player is Comoro’s defender Chaker Alhaddhur, inadvertently became the unscheduled goalkeeper, after the team’s goalkeeper had an injury, during the African Cup of Nations against hosts Cameroon in 2022.
