Topical Focus
This Allafrica.com photo essay feature looks at some of the events that defined 2010. Read more »
It's Cool to be Named Ronaldo, May 2010
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Photo 1 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineNamesakes, Heroes and Soccer on the Cape Flats
Samantha Reiners of the Twenty Ten project met and photographed young people in Cape Town's Cape Flats area named after football legends.
First photo: Despite being named after one of the most famous soccer players of all time, nine-year-old Diego Mano from Mannenburg regards his favourite player as Steven Gerrard, Liverpool and English National Team player. His parents named him after Diego Maradona - the Argentinian player widely regarded as the best football player of all time and one of the sport's most controversial and newsworthy figures. -
Photo 2 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineSix-year-old Quinton Bogart from Mannenburg would like nothing more to play for Bafana Bafana. Named after Quinton Fortune, a Bafana player and local legend who made it overseas at a young age, Bogart would like to follow in his hero's footsteps. -
Photo 3 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineGillmor Peters sits in his bedroom at his home in Delft. Named after Brazilian football star, Gilberto Silva, Gillmor follows his namesake's career closely and wants to be just like him. -
Photo 4 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineEleven-year-old David Peters from Delft was named after soccer star David Beckham. He considers Beckham to have lots of potential and his dream is to go to England to meet his hero. -
Photo 5 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineSix-year-old Fernando Abrahams from Mannenburg does not believe that his name makes any difference to his life. My daddy said it was a good name, he says. And also we are the same colour. -
Photo 6 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineNineteen-year-old Charlton Williams from Delft was named after his father's favourite soccer club, Charlton Athletic Football Club. One of the oldest teams in England, Charlton also bring a lot of South African soccer players into their fold. -
Photo 7 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineSeven-year-old Fernando Hendriks from Mannenburg is a fanatical Liverpool supporter, probably because he was named after Fernando Torres, the Spanish national and Liverpools star player. -
Photo 8 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineThirteen-year-old Henry Noordewyk from Delft was named after French soccer legend Thierry Henry. The teenager hopes to catch a glimpse of his namesake at the upcoming FIFA World Cup football showcase. -
Photo 9 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineEight-year-old Ryan Payne from Mannenburg plays for a local soccer team in the area Beneficke. Ryan was named after football legend Ryan Giggs and hopes to have inherited some of his skills too. -
Photo 10 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineRomario Van Der Vent, born during the 1994 Soccer World Cup, was named after Brazilian super striker, Romario who played a significant role in his country's victory in the tournament. Here, Romario spends time with friends at the Cape Flats in Cape Town. -
Photo 11 of 11Credit: Samantha Reinders / Twenty Ten / Africa Media OnlineRonaldo Bezuidenhout says his namesake is the best player in the world. There is no debate, he says. It's cool to be named after a famous person, especially a soccer player. Ronaldo also plays netball another popular sport on the Cape Flats.
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