In a light-hearted social media post, Mengesha admitted she had been wondering where players go after their national teams are eliminated from the tournament.
“Sasa niwaulize, team ikicheza World Cup alafu iloose… hao players inafaa waende wapi?”
Referring to Portugal’s recent defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, Mengesha questioned what comes next for the players after months of preparation. Portugal exited the tournament following a 1-0 defeat, bringing its World Cup campaign to an end.
She continued by asking whether footballers simply wait another four years before playing again.
“Si wamepractice sana. Sasa like waende wapi? Ju niko sure hawana kazi ya 9 to 5. Sasa wanafaa wangoje miaka zingine nne ndio wacheze ball tena ama?”
While the FIFA World Cup is held every four years, most professional footballers spend the majority of the year playing for their clubs rather than their national teams.
After international tournaments end, players usually return to their respective clubs to prepare for domestic league competitions, continental tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League, and domestic cup competitions.
They also continue to represent their countries during international qualifiers and other competitions held between World Cups.
Social media reacts
Mengesha’s post quickly gained attention, with many users finding humour in her curiosity rather than criticising the question.
Some jokingly suggested she should keep her thoughts to herself.
“Ficha hii akili nani.” 😂😂
Another user teased:
“Zima tu iyo TV.” 😂
A third commenter joked:
“Hii akili asikuje nayo next year tukivote.” 😂🤚
Others, however, took the opportunity to explain that footballers are employed by professional clubs and only join their national teams during international windows and major tournaments.
Although Mengesha’s question attracted playful responses, it also prompted many football fans to explain how the professional game is structured.
