Razaaq Adoti

Razaaq Adoti (born 27 June 1973) is a British actor, producer and screenwriter. Quotes I am such a sports fanatic. Anybody who knows me personally knows that part of the reason I have so few followers even online is because I’m outside playing football like 24/7 till today. I’m a massive sports fan. I follow football above everything else, but I also love boxing. I enjoy the Olympics, especially the track and field events. I like tennis, and I used to watch some F1 and table tennis as well. I have been a sportsman all my life, so sport has always been important to me. It is good to have more than one interest, especially now when so many people spend so much time sitting in one place and scrolling. My first ambition was to become a professional footballer, and I even had trials with Brentford when they were in the lower divisions. I did not progress because I was heavier as a child and struggled with the fitness drills before we even reached the football section. As a first-generation Nigerian in the United Kingdom, there was a strong emphasis on pursuing an academic path. At the time, it was harder to study sports than it is now, so I knew I had to go to college. It came down to choosing between something sporting or something artistic, as I loved drama. I eventually studied acting and film-making, found early success, and that pulled me away from a career in sport, though the passion has never left me. Yes, I do. About 20 years ago, during a production of Anthony and Cleopatra with Helen Mirren and Alan Rickman, I argued that football is not just a sport but an art. I still believe that. The way a player controls or passes the ball, with finesse, style, or subtle touches, can turn a simple action into something expressive. Watching (Diego) Maradona, Pelé or (Zinedine) Zidane, you see pure artistry. Football often goes beyond basic execution, carrying creativity and emotion, which is why sport and entertainment are closely linked. Yes, I believe it is a national crisis. The core problem is that we lack creativity in midfield. We do not have a true playmaker. In the past, you could name several without hesitation, but now there is no one who consistently creates chances. We have many hard-working midfielders with energy and defensive qualities, but once they win the ball, what happens next? Where is the vision, intelligence and ability to pick a decisive pass? Who is threading through balls or beating a man to open space for the wide players or the striker? These issues can be solved with the right personnel, but we are not selecting the right players. I also believe there is a tendency to be seduced by those playing overseas, assuming that high wages automatically mean higher quality than what we have at home. It is not the case. I was so angry. I still struggle to articulate it fully because I live in Los Angeles and had been looking forward to seeing Nigeria at the tournament. I was ready to travel to any state they were scheduled to play in, to gather my Nigerian friends, and for all of us to show up in our green and white to support the team. Then they failed to qualify, and the manner in which it happened was even more frustrating. For a nation of our size and our standing in world football, it is a major setback. Nigeria is respected globally, and our absence is significant. It is not only Nigerians who feel it; the wider football world notices it as well. The news of us not being at the World Cup resonates internationally. At this point, all I can do is get behind Cape Verde, support my brothers in Ghana and Brazil, and back other African nations at the tournament. I am sorry, but I have never in my life supported England. If I had chosen football, or if the opportunity had come earlier than it did with acting, and I was able to play professionally or at an international level, there is no circumstance in which I would represent England. None. I would wear the Super Eagles shirt or nothing. And if Nigeria rejected me, I simply would not play international football. There is certainly pressure on the team to win the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Missing the World Cup and the disappointing manner of our last AFCON campaign have increased expectations. We reached the final, but the performance was poor, and it is difficult to understand the team’s philosophy or style of play at the moment. Part of that comes from the squad, but management must also take responsibility. These are valid questions that need to be asked.