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OM Africa Days : Olympique Marseille dedicated a week to Africa

Marseille's players Mamadou Niang (L) and Taye Taiwo (R), and the mayor of Marseille Jean-Claude Gaudin (C) hold the team trophy and celebrate their French L1 title during a parade among supporters on May 16, 2010 during a parade in the streets of Marseille, southern France. Marseille were already crowned champions before winning their last football match against Grenoble 2-0 on May 15, 2010. AFP PHOTO / POOL / MICHEL GANGNE (Photo by MICHEL GANGNE / POOL / AFP)

Marseille’s players Mamadou Niang (L) and Taye Taiwo (R), and the mayor of Marseille Jean-Claude Gaudin (C) hold the team trophy and celebrate their French L1 title during a parade among supporters on May 16, 2010 during a parade in the streets of Marseille, southern France. Marseille were already crowned champions before winning their last football match against Grenoble 2-0 on May 15, 2010. AFP PHOTO / POOL / MICHEL GANGNE (Photo by MICHEL GANGNE / POOL / AFP)

For a week in January, Olympique de Marseille wore the colours of the African continent by promoting the OM Africa label. Interviews, video clips, competitions… Throughout the week, the Club showcased 100% African content.

For several decades the links between Olympique de Marseille and Africa have been strong. Many players from the African continent have worn the Olympien jersey throughout the history of the Club. As a result, OM’s reputation is immense in the Maghreb and West Africa.

Ivory Cost’s forward of Marseille Yves Drogba (C) jubilates after scoring a goal, 17 August 2003 at Felix Bollaert Stadium in Lens, during their French first league soccer match. AFP PHOTO PHILIPPE HUGUEN (Photo by PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP)

This is why, in December 2019, Olympique de Marseille created “OM Africa”, a vast programme entirely dedicated to its African fans and designed to bring together and federate all its supporters around events on the African continent, but also to develop training through its OM Schools and social projects through OM Foundation.

For more than a year, OM fan clubs have sprung up all over Africa, three OM Schools have been created and several events (Legends Match…) have taken place to celebrate the strong and emotional links between OM and Africa.

le capitaine et défenseur du Milan AC, Franco Baresi (D), dégage le ballon de la tête devant le milieu de terrain de l’Olympique de Marseille, le Ghanéen Abedi Pelé, lors de la finale de la Coupe d’Europe des clubs champions de football contre le Milan AC, le 26 mai 1993 à Munich. AFP PHOTO/PATRICK HERTZOG A.C Milan’s captain and defender Franco Baresi (R) heads the ball away from Marseille’s midfielder Abedi Pelé from Ghana during the European Champions Cup final 26 May 1993 in Munich. AFP PHOTO/PATRICK HERTZOG (Photo by PATRICK HERTZOG / AFP)

To go even further, Olympique de Marseille has decided to dedicate a whole week to OM Africa and OM fans in Africa with exclusive content, numerous gifts to be won and surprises, with the highlight of this week being the OM – Rennes match at the Orange Vélodrome.

Visit https://www.om.fr/en/omafrica and the official OM accounts on the relevant social networks (facebook, Twitter, Instagram…) to discover OM Africa events and stories

Tom Kirkwood