Ethiopian names feature prominently when it comes to competitive athletics. In fact, no one can talk about the 10,000 meters or other long distance races without thinking of Haile Gabriel Selase, Kenennisa Bekele, Tiruneshi Dibaba or Meseret Defar – just to mention a few current and former Ethiopian long distance stars, both male and female.

Seeing the Ethiopian national flag raised over and over at international track events, one could wonder if Ethiopians participate in any other sports.

Not many remember that Ethiopia played in the 1957 inaugural African Nations Cup, which it lost to Egypt 0-4 in the final. Ethiopia lifted the trophy at the third edition in 1962 with a 4-2 trashing of Egypt.

So why has Ethiopia dropped off almost completely from continental soccer? Why hasn’t it won any major tournament since that sweet revenge over Egypt way back in 1962? Has football been totally ignored in Ethiopia? Eden Berhane finds out in this report for TwentyTen.

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