One of the byproducts of travel is that you become more aware of events that don't get much coverage back home. The sports pages here in Spain, for example, aren't exactly full of stories about the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

This continent-wide football championship, starting today in South Africa, is sure to be watched by millions of Africans. I'm especially curious as to the public reaction in Ethiopia. I've traveled a lot in that fascinating East African nation and I know they're crazy about football – European football.

You see Real Madrid and Manchester United jerseys everywhere, and every village has a beat up old Foosball table painted in the colors of popular European teams. Yet Ethiopians seem singularly blind to their own football teams. I spent hours trying to hunt down an Ethiopian National Team shirt for my son, only to be told that they aren't made in children's sizes.

The kids don't want them.

Hopefully that's all about to change. Ethiopia has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time since 1982. They haven't won since 1962. With that kind of record, you can understand why the fans have been less than enthusiastic. Their first game is against Zambia on January 21. Zambia has a FIFA ranking of 34; Ethiopia's is 102. It's going to be a tough match.

My son and I are going to be rooting for Ethiopia. We'll be sitting at home here in Spain watching it on the computer, urging on the Ethiopian team as crowds in cafes and bars across Ethiopia will be going crazy. It's going to be a nice way to reconnect with my favorite country to travel in.

Hey, if a guy from Addis Ababa can be an Arsenal fan without ever having been to England, I can be an Ethiopia fan, right?

[Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Africa, Ethiopia, South Africa