History of African Football DVD's from FIFA

The holiday season may be over, but this is THE gift of gifts for the African football fan on your gift list.

FIFA has released five DVDs narrating the story of African football as part of its Win in Africa with Africa program.

It's timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the African Football Confederation and sets the scene for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

According to a news release on the FIFA website, they're now offering a sneak preview of a fascinating archive of texts, photographs and videos to everyone.

The five DVDs comprise no fewer than 7,000 documents, 2,000 photos, hundreds of press cuttings, exclusive interviews and the best goals scored by African teams at the FIFA World Cup, all painstakingly compiled, categorised and edited in collaboration with Tunisian journalist Faouzi Mahjoub.

The first DVD, which features a presentation of the CAF's 53 member associations and the continental governing body itself, opens with a message from FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter in which he describes the hard work that has gone into "compiling African football archives from sources that are often dispersed, incomplete and forgotten."

"We would like to celebrate the memory of the figures who form part of this history and preserve it for fans who are too young to remember what were unforgettable times," added Blatter. "This tribute also gives us an opportunity to show our support for a continent with tremendous potential."

From Ben Barek to Weah
Titled Africa and the Tournaments, the second DVD looks back at the performances of African teams in the FIFA World Cup over the years and comprises some of the finest goals scored by the continent's teams in the showpiece event. It also features an overview of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations from 1957 and 2006 and the various African club competitions.

DVD number three is packed with profiles of the leading African players of all time in five different sections. The first part of this gallery is devoted to the legends of the African game from Larbi Ben Barek to George Weah. Next up are the heroes of yesteryear, from Abdelmajid Chetali to Wilberforce Mfum, followed by the stars of today such as Didier Drogba and Emmanuel Adebayor, who are bringing joy to fans of the modern game.

The final section looks at the African-born players who have made their name in the colours of the former colonial powers, among them Mario Coluna and Eusebio. The disc also comprises profiles of the CAF's most lethal strikers and a bonus feature on a visit made by Pele to Africa.

The last two DVDs in the set dig deep into the continent's football archives. Disc four showcases clippings on African football taken from the magazines France Football (1970-77) and Le miroir du football (1962-76 and 1996-97), while DVD number five lists every single international match contested by African countries, a huge database crammed into one small disc.

MY POV: Can someone PLEASE buy this for me?? My birthday is right around the corner, you know ... Ha!