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'They looked like me': Why Arsenal became Africa's club

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Kenyan fans of Arsenal FC react following their team’s victory during a live broadcast of the club’s UEFA Champions League semi-final match against Atletico Madrid in Nairobi on May 5, 2026. [Tony Karumba/AFP]

In Kenyan influencer Nana Owiti's wardrobe, dozens of Arsenal jerseys tell the story of her passion for the club.

It's an unbreakable bond that goes back 20 years to the days when the London team's largely black squad made them hugely popular in Africa.

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