Thirteen-year-old Sudanese war survivor Zaher, who lost both legs in a 2024 drone strike in Khartoum, received a surprise video message in Cairo from his favorite footballer, Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior, offering him a personal invitation to attend a match.
Vinícius addressed the boy directly in Arabic, saying, “Zaher, mahaba,” before offering words of encouragement, BBC News reported. Zaher lost his limbs when a drone struck the street where he and his mother Habibah were selling lentils to survive after getting trapped by the ongoing civil war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in 2023.
More than 17 million children are now in need of humanitarian assistance across Sudan, according to Unicef, which has verified that at least 4,300 children have been killed or maimed since the conflict erupted. For months, Zaher moved through the rubble of Khartoum in a wheelchair, attempting to play football on his knees until UK-based lawyer Dena Latif led an online campaign raising £45,000 for his medical care, BBC News reported.
Following months of planning, Zaher and his mother traveled to Cairo without passports or birth certificates, as their documents had been destroyed in the fighting. In the Egyptian capital, Zaher underwent surgery, psychological support, and months of physiotherapy to learn to walk on two new prosthetic legs.
“I was made aware of your story. I know how difficult the last few months must have been for you,” Vinícius said in the video message, adding, “You are a hard-working black man. I really hope you will make good use of your new prosthetic legs, that you return to playing football and that you find happiness. You deserve it.”
“Tell Vinícius, I love him,” Zaher said, according to BBC News, after watching the message and donning a Vinícius Jr football shirt. “His message has really uplifted me.”
| Indicator | Details |
|---|---|
| Conflict Start | 2023 (Sudan Army vs. RSF) |
| Children in Need | More than 17 million (Unicef) |
| Children Killed/Maimed | At least 4,300 verified by Unicef |
| Fundraising Total | £45,000 raised for Zaher’s care |
“To get a smile out of him was almost impossible, but now you can see he’s laughing,” said Dr Bintelmuna Eltayeb, one of the doctors involved in his care. Habibah expressed that she felt “like the whole world is cheering Zaher on, wanting him to succeed.”
While the state of emergency has been lifted in Khartoum and the Sudanese army is back in control, buildings remain heavily damaged and 41% of Sudan’s population faces high levels of food insecurity, according to a recent statement released by the US and 30 other Western states warning of potential famine.
Zaher and his mother have since returned to Khartoum, hoping he can get his prosthetic legs checked locally as he grows. “I hope that Zaher’s story doesn’t end with him,” Latif told BBC News, expressing hope that his recovery will draw attention to thousands of other Sudanese children who suffered life-altering injuries.
