Belgium has a soccer player named Amadou Onana, while André Onana (no relation) plays for Cameroon.
These two simple facts are important to keep in mind, particularly if you’re seeking a quote at Euro 2024.
Amadou Onana had to endure a reporter’s inability to keep those concepts in mind as the midfielder took questions following Belgium’s 1-0 loss to Slovakia on Monday.
After concluding an answer in French for one reporter, Onana’s attention was requested by another journalist in English. In the world of international soccer — particularly in a country like Belgium, which has three official languages — that sort of flexibility is the norm.
Sadly for the reporter, he couldn’t show the same ability to adapt to the information that, as was discussed earlier, this was Amadou Onana, the Belgium midfielder.
“André, just one question,” began the journalist, apparently mistaking a player at Euro 2024 for the Manchester United goalkeeper, who again does not play for a European country.
Onana, displaying some linguistic nimbleness, pivoted to a perfect English accent to cut him off.
“André is not even my name, mate,” said the 22-year-old. “Do you know what I mean?”
Before the reporter could correct himself, Onana gestured to a different member of the press corps and said “go on,” taking that journalist’s question.
It’s not hard to sort why Onana would be irritated. The stereotype that Black people all look alike is persistent, and in fact the Everton man doesn’t bear any particular resemblance to Cameroon’s No. 1.
On top of that, it implies that one Onana merits remembering while the other does not, which is especially strange when you’re reporting on Euro 2024, a competition André Onana literally cannot play in.
Amadou Onana: ‘André is not even my name’
🫣🫣🫣 @AndreyOnana van Man Utd speelt niet bij @BelRedDevils
“André is not even my name”@AmadouOnana8 pic.twitter.com/G1Qvyo81YX
— tanja neckebroeck (@TanjaNecke) June 18, 2024
[lawrence-related id=75432,74672,75774]