The Ghanaians take soccer, or as they call it here, football, very seriously. After being here for only a few days, I have already come to realize that football is an integral part of the country’s culture. The sport is incorporated into billboards and advertisements, and locals participate in large pick-up games after work and on the weekends.

Ghana’s participation in the World Cup has made football even more prevalent during my time here thus far. Ghanaians flocked to local sports bars in large numbers last night to watch their team take on the Germans. After their national team scored a goal late in the second half to take a 2-1 lead over Germany, the crowd went wild. I have never in my life seen such an enthusiasm for sports until coming to Ghana! Check out the video below.