The migration of African football players to Europe dates much further back than the more recent large-scale migration. Taking the example of the career paths of players like Arthur Wharton, Larbi Ben Barek, Eusébio, and Salif Keita, this paper examines the phenomenon from 1910 to the end of the 1970s. The lives of these footballers were vehicles for dreams, passions, and political interests. Depending on the time, the players were seen as “natives”, “assimilated persons”, “migrant workers” or international stars drawn from a global “pool of talent”.