Justin Soni Fashanu was Britain’s first black openly gay footballer to earn a £1 million transfer fees contract. Born in East London on February 19, 1961 to Pearl Lawrence, a British-Guyanese nurse, and Patrick Fashanu, a Nigerian barrister, Fashanu was one of the couple’s three … Read MoreJustin Soni Fashanu (1961-1998)
Image Courtesy of El Dia Gustavo Pinedo Zabala, professional soccer player, was born in Coripata, Department of La Paz, Bolivia, on February 18, 1988. His mother, Ana, and father, Augusto, were agricultural workers that specialized in the fruit and coffee harvests around Coripata. Pinedo, and … Read MoreGustavo Pinedo Zabala (1988– )
“Image Ownership: Public Domain” Clothing entrepreneur Malamine Koné, was born in Mali on December 21, 1971, but now lives near Paris, France. He is most famous for creating the sport-clothing brand Airness in 1999. Fifteen years later, the clothing line is one of the most … Read MoreMalamine Koné (1971– )
On the 23rd of August 1958, the country’s “forgotten” race riot unfolded on the streets of Nottingham, England. This culmination of simmering tension, sparked finally over opposition to interracial romance, was a pre-cursor to the mass violence that followed a week later in the London … Read MoreNottingham Riots (1958)
Alonzo “Lonnie” Clayton, who reached stardom at the age of 15 when he became the youngest rider to win the Kentucky Derby, was born on March 27, 1876 in Kansas City, Missouri to Robert and Evaline Clayton. Alonzo Clayton moved with his parents and eight … Read MoreAlonzo Clayton (1876-1917)
Patrick Vieira, one of Europe’s leading soccer players, was born in the Cape Verdean community of Dakar, Senegal, on June 23, 1976. He left Senegal at the age of eight when his family moved to Europe and settled in Dreux, in northwest France. Soon after … Read MorePatrick Vieira (1976- )
Born on January 28, 1981 in Villa Clara, Cuba, the Cuban born player Maykel Galindo has made a name for himself among the American soccer ranks over the last several years. Galindo started playing soccer when he was eight years old. He soon became an … Read MoreMaykel Galindo (1981- )
Fredua Koranteng Adu, known to much of the world as Freddy Adu was born June 2, 1989 in the port city of Tema, Ghana. Growing up in Ghana, Freddy often received attention for his tremendous soccer skills as a youngster. Even at a young age … Read MoreFreddy Adu (1989- )
Didier Yves Drogba Tebily, international soccer star, was born March 11, 1978 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). His early childhood was spent in poverty. In an attempt to improve their son’s life, Didier’s parents sent him to France when he was just 5 years … Read MoreDidier Drogba (1978- )
Manoel Francisco dos Santos, renowned Brazilian soccer player, was born in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on October 28, 1933 and died on January 20, 1983. A congenial deformity of his leg bones (inward leaning right leg and outward leaning left) earned him … Read MoreGarrincha (Manoel Francisco dos Santos) (1933-1983)
