Zohran Mamdani, the Mayor of New York City, recently stepped away from politics to showcase his deep understanding of football during an African edition of the viral “Winner Stays On” challenge.
The mayor, a self-proclaimed Arsenal fan, navigated a bracket of Africa’s most iconic players, demonstrating both his knowledge of the game and his ability to mix humor with cultural insight.
From the very first round, Mamdani impressed with his selections. He opted for Sadio Mane over Victor Osimhen and Brahim Diaz, highlighting a strong grasp of current African stars.
When Didier Drogba appeared, he acknowledged the rivalry between his favorite club and the Ivorian legend, saying, “As an Arsenal fan I have been traumatized by him.”
Despite personal allegiances, Mamdani respected Drogba‘s legacy and advanced him past Samuel Eto’o and Michael Essien.
Blending humor with football expertise
The challenge grew more entertaining as Mohamed Salah entered the bracket.
Mamdani joked, “Salah is the only one with a halal truck named after him,” cleverly mixing cultural awareness with football commentary.
His Arsenal loyalty briefly influenced him when he selected Nwankwo Kanu over Abedi Pele, but he ultimately acknowledged Jay-Jay Okocha‘s brilliance, recalling the classic nickname, “So good they named him twice.”
He remained consistent in his choices, advancing John Obi Mikel and Yaya Toure with ease, before making his final decision: he declared George Weah as the greatest African footballer of all time.
The former Ballon d’Or winner earned the nod based on his historical impact, rather than recent popularity or fan trends.
Mamdani later expanded on his football preferences in a conversation with Pharaoh Talks. While he named Thierry Henry as his personal GOAT, he sided with Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo in the modern debate.
He also highlighted Bukayo Saka as Arsenal‘s top winger, favored William Saliba in defense, and acknowledged the contributions of Kolo Toure and Sol Campbell.
The appearance confirmed that Mamdani is more than a casual fan. His deep understanding of football history, combined with humor and honest opinions, made the challenge a compelling showcase of his knowledge and personality.
Fans quickly noted that he approaches the sport with the same passion and attention to detail that many professional analysts do, proving that football expertise can come from unexpected places.
Read the full article here
