football, clubs, real madrid, man united Benni McCarthy, Image: Instagram @manchesterunited
Manchester United is the most searched team in South Africa on Google, while reigning European champions Real Madrid CF is the most searched team in Africa.
The study, conducted by TV and broadband experts at Uswitch, analysed Google search data to reveal the football team from around the world that fans are searching for the most in (almost) every country on the planet.
Researchers removed each country’s home teams from the results to show which clubs from other shores are the most popular in that country.
Uswitch said reigning UEFA champions Real Madrid are the most searched team in 23 countries in Africa and 75 globally.
African countries that are most interested in the Spanish club are Madagascar, Senegal, Morocco, and Mozambique.
The second-most searched team on the continent goes to Liverpool FC, thanks to 11 countries searching to watch its games more than any other club.
Among the countries supporting “the Reds” are Seychelles, Namibia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.
Interestingly, Zimbabwe’s interest in the club may have recently piqued since half-Zimbabwean prodigy, Isaac Mabaya, signed his first professional contract for them in September 2021.
Arsenal takes bronze when it comes to the most Googled football teams in Africa, thanks to Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Eritrea all searching for them more than any other club.
The London-based club is closely followed by Manchester United, which is revealed as the favoured team in five African countries, including South Africa and Mauritius.
Man United’s popularity in South Africa could also be influenced by the recent appointment of Benni McCarthy as the club’s strikers coach last month.
The rest of the list is made up of clubs that are most loved in just one country only.
FC Barcelona is Equatorial Guinea’s favourite foreign football team, Manchester City is most favoured by Guinea-Bissau, and Sao Tome and Principe’s most popular club is S.L. Benfica.
Meanwhile, Chelsea FC is the most Googled team in Kenya, and Cabo Verde’s number one team is FC Porto.
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