African football legends join forces to give ‘red card’ to polio

Six African football legends are urging the continent to unite and step up efforts to vaccinate every child against the life-threatening polio virus.

In partnership with the UN-backed Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the footballing greats have launched the ‘Kick Out Polio’ campaign ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025, which begins in Morocco on December 21.

The football legends are Naby Keïta (Guinea), Sébastien Haller (Côte d’Ivoire), Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon), Rodolfo Bodipo Díaz (Equatorial Guinea), Michael Essien (Ghana), and Bruno Ecuele Manga (Gabon).

“Polio is an illness that we simply need to take seriously,” said Keïta, who plays for Hungarian club Ferencváros.

Decades of global collaboration have pushed back polio, a highly infectious and debilitating disease that once paralysed more than 1,000 children a day.

These efforts have saved roughly 20 million boys and girls from paralysis, and 1.5 million lives, the GPEI said.

The public-private partnership is led by national governments, with six partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Although Africa has made huge strides towards eradication, polio outbreaks continue across several countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

Progress to stamp out the disease is being threatened by funding cuts, conflict, vaccine hesitancy and strained health systems, making this final stage of eradication the most difficult.

“My dream is for Africa to be totally eradicated of polio,” said Fabrice Ondoa, formerly of Cameroon’s national team.

“Africa, it is our turn to give a red card to polio,” Ondoa stressed.

The soccer stars are sharing their journeys of perseverance and have launched a social media challenge to show parents and leaders alike that even the toughest obstacles can be overcome.

With the match against polio now in extra time, they invite people to grab four things: a football, a bottle, their phone and a friend.

The goal is to kick down the bottle from the farthest distance and name someone who should take on the #KickOutPolio challenge.

Next, post the video on social media, tag a friend and your favourite footballer, using the campaign hashtag.

“We know that in Africa, polio is a big problem and that we must fight against this very severe disease.

“Now it’s your turn,” said Rodolfo Bodipo Díaz, former member of the Equatorial Guinea national team and Spanish club Deportivo Alavés.

In spite of ongoing challenges, Africa is taking significant steps to eradicate polio.

The GPEI noted that 15 countries vaccinated nearly 200 million children between January and October 2025.

“Coordinated campaigns across regions, from the Horn of Africa to the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel, have demonstrated the power of cross-border collaboration, protecting tens of millions of children,” it said.

The Kick Out Polio campaign calls for everyone across the continent to support the urgent need to vaccinate every child so that the disease is wiped out for good.

“I overcame many challenges in my football career to become who I am today,” said Michael Essien, who played for his native Ghana and English club Chelsea FC.

“In the same way, I believe Africa can overcome the challenge of eradicating polio and achieve a polio-free future.”

Bruno Ecuele Manga appealed for African leaders to stand together against polio, insisting that “we need to defeat it because we need Africa’s youth,” who are the continent’s future.

“In Africa, polio is a real health issue, especially for children,” Sébastien Haller added.

“Once there is no more polio, it will be a great victory.”