South African football fans are still feeling the sting of their team's early World Cup exit, and some of their continental neighbours are not letting them forget it.
Fans from across Africa took to social media to taunt South Africans after the loss, and the mockery carries a sharper edge than typical football banter. Much of the trolling is tied to long-standing frustration over reports of xenophobia in South Africa, where migrants from other African countries have faced hostility and, at times, violence.
The back-and-forth online is a reminder that football rivalries on the continent can carry real emotional and political weight. For many commenters, the jokes were less about the scoreline and more about sending a pointed message to a neighbour they feel has not always treated them as family.
Whether the moment sparks any deeper conversation about how South Africa engages with the rest of the continent remains to be seen.
Originally published by BBC Africa.