"JOLI TON MAILLOT": A FOOTBALL PORTRAIT OF DAKAR, SENEGAL - Salmen Ayadi
OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE CONNECTING PEOPLE:
Among the many conversations I had in Dakar, one that stood out was with Mr. Abdullay, a Senegalese man in his late fifties, wearing an Olympique de Marseille shirt. I approached him and said, "Joli ton maillot, Monsieur." "Nice Shirt, Sir."
He replied, "Merci, jeune homme, c'est le maillot de la saison 2022-2023, l'Olympique de Marseille, c'est mon club de cœur. Je suis Marseillais depuis mon jeune âge." "Thank you, young man. It is the Olympique de Marseille shirt of the 2022-2023 season, and it is my beloved club. Since childhood, I have been a Marseillais." I did not expect this answer from him; I assumed it was part of his daily football shirt rotation, as many Senegalese people do.
When I asked him if he had ever been to Marseille to watch Olympique De Marseille at the Vélodrome, he said, "Non, je n'y suis jamais allé à Marseille pour regarder mon club de cœur. C'est mon rêve d'y aller un jour et d'y être au Vélodrome." "No, I have never been to Marseille to watch my beloved club; my dream is to go one day to Marseille and be in the Vélodrome."
Mr Abduallay's words moved me. I pulled out my phone and shared with him my pictures of the Vélodrome's atmosphere, fans' fever, and the iconic landmarks of Marseille I had taken from my last summer trip.
Mr Abduallay became emotional after reacting to my pictures, especially the vibrant Vélodrome atmosphere and Marseille's charming streets, which were palpable. He said, "Je suis vraiment très heureux de vous rencontrer, vous m'avez fait voyager jusqu'à Marseille. Je suis très reconnaissant à Dieu pour cette très belle rencontre." "I am so delighted to meet you. You took me on a journey to Marseille, and I am so grateful to God for this meet-up."
Before we parted ways, I took a portrait of Mr. Abdullay proudly wrapped in his Olympique de Marseille shirt. We hugged, and I wished him to visit Marseille one day to watch his beloved football club, Olympique de Marseille. As I walked away carrying on emotions, I kept thinking that football shirts are not just polyester fabrics to me and others. Mr. Abduallay has never been to Marseille, but it is a place and a football club he has carried in his heart since childhood.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
NPLH, DAKAR & FOOTBALL WORKWEAR: THE CREATIVE AWAKENING
I
In June 2023, I travelled to Marseille for the first time, a Mediterranean hub of football culture, to explore the city and indulge in Tunisian food. During a two-hour hike to the turquoise waters of Calanques d'En-Vau, I listened to an episode of the NPLH Studio podcast featuring Naomi Accardi as a guest speaking about her background, faith in Inter Milan, women's football, and the creative scene in football.
Naomi had been to Senegal, and the portrayal of Dakar as a unique capital city was inspiring, unlike any other she had visited. She highlighted the transformative power of football shirts on workwear in Dakar, and how jelly sandals were the preferred choice of boots for playing football, which helped develop resilience and strength in Senegalese from an early age.
Besides, I visited a football exhibition at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery last year, which explored the role of football in bringing people together. The exhibition examined the bond between Brighton and Bamako through football. Unexpectedly, a plastic sandal used to play football in Bamako was displayed in the museum. When I first saw it, it reminded me of Naomi's words about plastic sandals used for playing football in Senegal, which lingered in my head.
Lastly, meeting Raffaela in Morocco reinforced everything I had heard and read about football in Senegal. Having lived in Dakar for a year, she painted a vivid picture of Senegal during our talks. "Dakar is a gold mine for what you're doing; football is widespread in Senegal. If you come, you'll be overwhelmed by the number of people wearing football shirts on the streets".
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
MY CREATIVE JOURNEY IN FOOTBALL
My knowledge of creativity was limited, particularly in football. My mind was "I can't draw, so I am not creative", but my inquisitive and relentless curiosity, willingness, and empathy drove me to explore this new realm and see football through a fresh lens of creativity. I have followed more creative individuals, football collectives, creative studios, designers, photographers, and writers on Instagram. I began to read books, subscribed to MUNDIAL zine, and listened to football podcasts. Soccerbible was my go-to magazine for reading stories behind the design of football shirts, boots, and players' lifestyles.
Creative projects in football, particularly work involving football shirts or boots, fascinated me immensely. Émile-Samory Fofana's work about football shirts in Mali significantly changed how I see football shirts. It sparked my interest in researching football cultural phenomena through photography and documenting fans' culture on and off the pitch, wherever I go.
Besides, the rise of F.C. COMO Women in Italy fostered my interest in the women's game and photographing female athletes. After the investor group Mercury/13 acquired the club, it disrupted the Italian women's football status quo. Throughout the season 24-25, I attended a couple of Serie A Women's matches to sustain my interest in growing women's football across the globe.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
Italian Icon Alia Guagni said farewell to football in an unprecedented CV-shirt design during her last match. The design made the headlines of the most prominent newspapers and football magazines the following day.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
My first time in the Women's derby of Madonnina in Milan between A.C. Milan and Internazionale, shooting ballers in their pristine football gear, ready to take a warm-up session.
ROME TO DAKAR THROUGH THE WESTERN SAHARA: ONCE IN A LIFETIME TRIP
Ironically, Senegal wasn't part of my original travel plan; I planned to visit only Mauritania through Morocco. Hence, I left Rome on Tuesday night, flying to Agadir before embarking on a 22-hour coach journey to cross the entire Western Sahara to arrive at Edakhla. The next day, I headed to the Moroccan-Mauritanian border checkpoints and entered Mauritania without incident, beginning my adventure in a new country.
Near the border, I looked for a shared Taxi ride to Nouakchott; however, most drivers overcharged me. Then came the moment that changed everything; I asked a man driving a passenger-empty bus with a French registration plate to drop me off in Nouakchott on his way. He replied, "Oui, tu peux monter, nous allons jusqu'au Sénégale; on peut te déposer à Nouakchott, tu es sur notre route, allez montez." "Yes, hop in. We are heading to Senegal; we can drop you off in Nouakchott. You are on our route, so get in," without hesitation. I got on the bus and joined three Senegalese on a quest to deliver a bus exported from France to Senegal for charitable purposes.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
The bus I hitchhiked in from the Moroccan-Mauritanian border to Senegal.
Inside the bus, I met Abdul, an educated Senegalese man in his mid-40s. Originally from Dakar, he was heading home to Senegal from Morocco. He works as a casino dealer in Marrakech and is fluent in English and French. Abdul and I bonded over football, and our passion for football instantly connected us. The talk about Senegal's unforeseen performance during the 2002 World Cup was my hook to initiate a conversation with him. I also shared that I came to Mauritania specifically to document football shirt culture through photography., I'm interested in labourers working in football shirts and willing to find players who play football in jelly sandals to write a blog about them and publish it later on the internet.
Abdul replied, "It is my first time hearing this, but you have got to be in Senegal. Hundreds of them are in the streets of Dakar. You'll be astonished by the number of people working with football shirts, including your jelly sandals. I know my city very well, think about it".
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
Abdul was on my right, and the driver's mate was on my left during a cooling break in Mauritania.
After talking to Abdul for hours, I considered changing my itinerary to Senegal, specifically to Dakar, with Abdul, and everyone was delighted by my decision. I was overwhelmed by the events, from crossing Western Sahara and embarking on a bus-hitchhiking to meeting Senegalese in Mauritania. Eventually, we reached Nouakchott by late Friday night. We shared dinner, and we all went to sleep on the bus.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
My first photo is of a shy Mauritanian boy wearing a Mexico complete kit near the Mauritanian-Senegalese border.
The following day at the Mauritania and Senegal border checkpoints, we said goodbye to the bus driver and his mate, as they took a different route. However, I experienced a tough half-day loaded with scams and hassles. By the afternoon, customs stamped my passport, and Senegal had become the 13th country I had visited. Abdul and I continued the trip in a shared Renault 25 Taxi, scheduled to arrive in Dakar on Saturday afternoon. On the other side, Raffaella awaited my arrival to show me around Dakar. However, if you are in Senegal, you should be comfortable with surprises. We experienced a car breakdown that required repair, which delayed our arrival in Dakar until Sunday morning. The saddest part to me was not the breakdown; young boys under twelve were fixing the Taxi under their boss's supervision. Abdul told me: "Ils sont des apprentis, ils sont en train d'apprendre les bases de la mécanique automobile, ils ne sont pas rémunérés pour leur travail." "Their work is a chore; they are apprentices, learning the mechanical craft very early, and no wages are given."
In the village of Kébémer, we slept crammed inside a shared 8-passenger Taxi. I was worn out and had a severe lack of sleep. We continued the trip the following morning and reached Dakar on a scorching Sunday after I crossed 2,500 kilometres from Agadir, Morocco. I was eager to explore Dakar by making the most of the human connections, taking portraits of people, and playing as much football as possible with locals. Abdul and I said goodbye, exchanged WhatsApp numbers, and promised to meet again.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
Young boys are working Saturday afternoon to repair our old Renault 25 Taxi.
DAKAR: AFRICA'S FOOTBALL MECCA
Raffaella accompanied me to Ngor Island in Dakar on Sunday afternoon to show me around. Football shirts were everywhere, worn by beachgoers, swimmers, beach fitness enthusiasts and workers along the shoreline. A wave of excitement and happiness rushed through me. At first, I hesitated about pulling out my camera and starting to shoot people. Soon after, I realised that football shirts also exist in the Atlantic Ocean; many teenagers and adults would swim or surf in their football shirts.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
Dakar's shores are not just a place to take a dip; they are also a workplace for vendors selling a wide range of merchandise, including counterfeit football shirts, grilled seafood, small plastic bags of water, roasted peanuts, and handmade African jewellery. Many of these vendors would wear football shirts as part of their work uniform. I nearly stopped every vendor to ask about their football shirts with my usual line, "Joli ton maillot "Nice looking shirt". When I buy something from their merchandise, it's a small gesture of support for their hard work.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
THE SENEGALESE ALTINHA.
Brazilians call it Altinha, a beach football activity played on beaches with friends in circles. It lets players express themselves and showcase their unique style and creativity while keeping the ball in the air. I visited most of Dakar's beaches to look for Altinha and football enthusiasts. I knew they would gather daily to kick a ball along the shorelines, from Plage Virage and Mamelles to Ngor Island and Anse Bernard. It was an opportunity to take more raw photos and showcase the Senegalese's passion for the game. The results exceeded my expectations. Many group circles would form to practice Altinha or to play two-a-side matches along Dakar's shorelines. After I had taken my photos, I approached any group playing football to join their formed circles with my line, "Je peux vous rejoindre les amis?" "Can I join you guys?" My requests have never been rejected; I always got "Oui, bien sûr." "Yes, of course."
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
Ngor's Ironmongery: A Mini-Football Theatre.
Around the corner from where I was staying in the Ngor neighbourhood, a photo etched in my memory: a small ironmongery shop, open from early morning to late at night, transformed into a mini football theatre. Every time I walked by, I saw a small-sized LED screen on the shop's counter, draped in a prayer rug when it was off, and broadcasting FIFA World Cup Club matches when it was on.
What struck me was a group of boys and teenagers gathering outside, eyes fixed on the screen, standing up undistracted, fully immersed in the moment, and tiptoeing to avoid crossing the shop's doorstep, watching Real Madrid or Paris-Saint-Germain perform on the world's biggest stage, thousands of kilometres away from where they were sitting. Later, I understood that the shop owner would turn on the TV whenever a football match was live to the neighbourhood community. A small act from the shopkeeper, but a massive gesture from a football-driven community, allowing the boys to watch, share, and dream about becoming professional football players.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
JELLY Sandals: Most-worn football boot in Senegal.
Called Tic-Tic in Wolof, they are cheap, miscellaneous, and water-resistant. These versatile jelly sandals have dominated the markets of West Africa for decades now and have become a symbol of Senegalese cultural identity. Besides their original purpose of walking across the sandy shoreline, Senegalese have shifted the purpose of jelly sandals from the beach to the pitch. Tic-Tic Sandals have become a staple footwear option for football players in West Africa. With no room for PUMA, adidas or Nike football boots in grassroots football, Tic-Tic's comes first as a choice for Senegalese to play football. Two minutes from my accommodation in Ngor, a dusty football pitch would attract a group of grassroots teams that would rotate in to play football every day from sunrise to late at night. In one of the games at midday, I went next to the sideline, sitting on a stone and witnessed a game played in unfavourable conditions where most players wore Tic-Tic sandals sockless, played with full commitment, and chased a hard-earned win.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
Dakar-Plateau: THE OPEN-AIR GALLERY OF FOOTBALL WORKWEAR
In the streets of Dakar-Plateau, I wandered wearing a Senegal football shirt that I had picked up at Sandega's chaotic market. The shirt broke the ice and sparked conversations with working men or shop owners about football, leading to many discussions about national heroes, such as Sadio Mané and El-Hadji Diouf. I often recalled their historic performances in the 2002 World Cup or the 2021 AFCON triumph when I spoke to everyone who complimented my shirt.
In Senegal, football has been shaping workwear for years among the working class, making it easy for me to spot working men in their dazzling coloured football shirts across Dakar. They were in every alley, street, and roundabout. If you missed a shot, another person would appear minutes later dressed in a football shirt bringing his passion for the game to his daily grind, from Taxi, TocToc, & Tata minibus drivers, fruit & vegetable peddlers, builders, & construction site guards, mechanics, and local coffee brewers in the neighbourhoods, transforming Dakar into an open-air gallery of football workwear.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
One of the standout portraits I am proud of is a builder wearing the stunning design of the Nigeria 2020 home shirt, who challenged me to convince him to stand in front of my viewfinder.
EPILOGUE
I could have written a book about football in Senegal during my seven-day stay in Dakar. I experienced one of the most fulfilling and unanticipated football trips ever. In those seven days, Dakar gave me more than I expected. I joined the Senegalese to play football, shared meals of Maafe and Ceebu Jën shared with working men along the streets, and engaged in tales woven into every worn football shirt. Football in Senegal is not just played; it is lived and stitched into the fabric of the city. I came to Senegal as a traveller but left carrying a piece of Dakar in my heart.
Salmen Ayadi (@salmen_ayadi)