In Football the Malagasy Rediscover Their Pride

September 3, 2025 – iAko Randrianarivelo

This post is featuring with FootballCaseStudy

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar —Photographing on the ground in Madagascar during the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) was an unforgettable experience. On the regional and international stage the Barea, our national team, had long faced more defeats than victories, yet hope never faded among the Malagasy people.

That hope turned into a powerful wave of national pride in 2019, when Madagascar reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. It was a rare moment when football united a nation often divided by socio-political tensions. The streets overflowed with joy, and a sense of shared identity lit up the country. 

In 2025, that pride came roaring back during the African Nations Championship. This time, the young local teams didn’t just reach the quarter-finals, they went all the way to the final, showing grit and determination. The Barea proved that their rise was no accident, and their performance ignited celebrations across the country.

Everywhere, people poured into the streets dancing, singing, whistling, shouting in triumph, and striking pot lids together- a symbolic act of joy in Malagasy culture. It felt like a unified heartbeat pulsing throughout the country. And now, there’s a collective belief: the first time, we reached the quarterfinals; the second time, we were finalists; next time, we will be champions.