Published: October 7, 2026
In today’s world, the press, often called the “fourth estate,” is a catalyst for national development.
Historically, the clergy, nobility and common people were considered the first three estates. In modern democracies, the executive, legislative and judicial branches occupy those positions, while the media is widely regarded as the fourth estate. That distinction underscores the enormous importance of the press.
By Isaac Solo Kelgbeh
The media serves as an independent watchdog over powerful institutions. It informs the public, exposes wrongdoing and holds leaders accountable. It is not meant to be a praise singer or a bootlicker.
Across Liberia, citizens — literate or not — rely heavily on the media for information, particularly radio, Facebook and other social media platforms, and television. Although social media has become widely used, it can be unreliable. Television remains valuable but is less accessible to many Liberians. Radio, because of its reach and accessibility, remains one of the country’s most influential and trusted sources of information.
This influence extends to football.
Around the world, national teams such as France, Argentina and Spain have become football powerhouses not only because of coaching, academies, talented players, federations and football culture, but also because of the reinforcing role of the media.
The press has helped shape national identity, influence public expectations and promote football philosophies.
France: Building National Identity
French media played an important role in transforming the national team, Les Bleus, into a national institution. It helped sustain enormous public interest in the team, promoted emerging talent and created pressure for players and officials to perform.
The famous “Black-Blanc-Beur” narrative — referring broadly to players of African, European and North African descent — was strongly popularized by the French media. The narrative helped present the national team as a reflection of France’s multicultural society and promoted unity rather than division.
French media outlets have also helped forge a powerful connection between the national team, the public and national identity.
Argentina: Passion and Accountability
In Argentina, sports journalism treats football as a matter of national importance. Coverage is intense, emotional and deeply analytical.
Performances by the national team become major national conversations, but those discussions are generally centered on football — tactics, players, coaching decisions, preparation and performance.
The Argentine media helps mobilize massive public support while creating a culture in which representing the nation carries enormous prestige and responsibility.
Spain: Creating a Football Philosophy
Spain perhaps provides the clearest example of how the media can shape a national football identity.
Spanish sports media helped popularize the term “tiki-taka,” associated with short passing, possession, technical quality and collective play. Spain’s success at the 2008 European Championship and 2010 World Cup was widely presented as the emergence of a distinctive Spanish football philosophy.
The media also helped cement the national team’s nickname, La Roja.
Academic research has similarly identified the Spanish media as an important force in connecting football with national identity.
These three countries demonstrate three distinct but related functions of the media:
France: National identity
Argentina: Passion and accountability
Spain: Football philosophy and identity
Liberia’s Opportunity
Liberia has an opportunity to learn from these examples.
Spoon, with its television, radio and digital platforms, arguably serves as a major source of information for many Liberians and, in some cases, other media institutions, bloggers and social media commentators.
That reach gives Spoon, as well as other media organizations working with the Sports Writers Association of Liberia and the Press Union of Liberia, a unique opportunity to lead a more constructive national football conversation.
Unfortunately, following Liberia’s 1-0 loss to Mali in Monrovia, some media discussions took a disappointing turn.
At a time when Liberians at home and abroad were seeking explanations for the defeat, many wanted tactical analysis, discussions about player positioning, formations, coaching decisions, individual performances and an honest assessment of what went wrong.
Instead, some panel discussions shifted toward political comparisons and division.
With respect, and with apologies for stating what I believe to be the truth: Where in the world do media panelists compare national team victories across presidential administrations as part of a football discussion?
What purpose does that serve?
Liberians wanted insight into the performance of the Lone Star. They wanted to know why the team lost, whether the tactics were appropriate, whether the players were deployed in their best positions and what could be done differently in the next match.
They did not need a discussion about Ellen Johnson Sirleaf vs. George Weah vs. Joseph Boakai.
That is a distraction from the football conversation and, in my view, falls far below the standard expected of responsible sports journalism.
The Media Must Help Build the Lone Star
If the Lone Star is to become a formidable national team, the media must play a vital and uncompromising role.
Liberian journalists should not treat the national team merely as a subject to criticize after defeats. The Lone Star is a national institution that deserves serious and sustained coverage.
That means asking difficult questions about coaching, player development, scouting, youth football, domestic competitions, overseas-based players, federation leadership, preparation, facilities and long-term planning.
It also means recognizing progress when it occurs.
The media can challenge the Liberia Football Association and other football authorities without undermining the national team. It can hold officials accountable while still helping to build public confidence in the team.
The press can also provide a platform for coaches, former players, technical experts, supporters and young footballers to contribute to the national conversation.
Most importantly, the media can help Liberians understand that building a successful national team is not the responsibility of the players and coaches alone. It is a collective national project.
France, Argentina and Spain demonstrate that football success is about more than what happens on the pitch. It is also about the relationship between the team, the public, the media and the institutions responsible for the game.
Liberia has talented players. We have passionate supporters. We have journalists who understand football and can tell compelling stories.
What we need is a more deliberate and responsible media culture around the Lone Star — one that informs rather than divides, analyzes rather than mocks, and holds institutions accountable without turning the national team into a political football.
The media can help build a football identity, strengthen national pride and create the environment in which the Lone Star can become a more competitive and formidable force.
The question is not whether the media has influence.
It does.
The question is whether we will use that influence to build Liberia’s football future.
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