Europe's thirst for young African footballers: brave new world or child trafficking?

The football World Cup is being held in Africa for the first time this year, but young African players have long been a sought-after commodity among Europe's top clubs. While some youngsters make it to the top, many players end up on the streets. Critics talk of a new slave trade.

The hut is 3 meters by 3 meters (10 by 10 feet) in size, the walls are made of concrete, the roof is corrugated sheet metal, and the sparse furnishings include a bed and an oil lamp. There are no windows. There is also no electricity, no toilet and no running water for the five people who live in this mosquito-infested hut in Bamako, the capital of Mali.

As the sun sets, the heat of the day gradually subsides, dogs bark and the muezzin leads the call to prayer. In front of the hut, the mother is cooking maize porridge over an open fire, while the two daughters sit in the dust, peeling mangoes. The father and the son talk about the future. Both are wearing AC Milan jerseys. More...

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