Football (Soccer)

Football (Soccer) is a very popular game that was enjoyed by young people in Debre Zeit. Not only was it a participation game, but also served as an entertaining spectator game. Football is a team game and since leather or rubber ball are expensive and hard to get, children make a ball out of an old rug or socks. They form a small team and play in the field on weekends or after school.  Depending on their skills, some could join football teams.

There were very popular teams in Debre Zeit that were organized in a league and held a regular competition throughout the summer months. One of the most popular teams is called Mebrek. Some of the 1970 cohorts are members of this football team. In fact three or four of the members of the Mebrek team eventually played for Ethiopian National Team.

Below is Mebrek Team with different team members. While the core team members are still there, few new players were added while some have left. Despite changes in players, the mighty Mebrek played a very entertaining football all the time.

Football remained a widely played sport in Debre Zeit for a long time.  Two main reasons for the popularity of football were first it did not require a specialized gears to play unless one play at an organized league level.  As indicated, one can make rug or sock ball and play with bare foot as most of us did for a long time. 

The second is availability of fields. Children can make a stone goal and play in a field as small as neighborhood streets. There were hardly any cars and hence, most streets are free to play on. Where there was the occasional horse driven carriages (Gharries), one can stop the game for a short time and let the carriages pass. 

Those who played football in Debre Zeit went on to play for the Ethiopian national team as well as the Air force team like Fekadu Fole as shown in the picture below.