From the ruins of war to the Bernabeu: Vinicius's invitation changes a Sudanese child's life
Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, the Real Madrid forward, has sent a video message in Arabic to a Sudanese child named Zaher, who lost his legs in the capital Khartoum in 2024, before regaining the ability to walk thanks to two prosthetic limbs.
In his message, Vinicius expressed his full solidarity with Zaher (13 years old) and wished him a return to his normal life and to playing football again. He also extended an official invitation for the boy to attend one of Real Madrid's matches at the Santiago Bernabeu and meet him in person.
Vinicius said in his message: "I learned about your story, I know how difficult the last few months have been for you, I hope you make good use of your new prosthetic legs, that you return to playing football, and that you find happiness. You deserve it."
The Brazilian star added: "I would like to invite you to attend a match in Madrid, we can spend the day together."
That message followed a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation "BBC" revealing Zaher's story, in which the boy named Vinicius as his favourite player. That prompted the Brazilian to record a personal message of support for him.
Having watched the message, Zaher said: "Tell Vinicius that I love him, his message lifted my spirits a lot."
The incident dates back to 2024. Zaher and his mother Habiba were trapped in Khartoum, caught in the battles that have raged between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since 2023.
They were selling lentils in the streets to make a living when a drone fell near them. Zaher lost both his legs to amputation and, with them, his ability to walk.
More than 17 million children in Sudan need humanitarian aid, according to the United Nations Children's Fund "UNICEF". At least 4,300 children have been verified as killed or injured, with the real number likely much higher.
Once the "BBC" report was published, British lawyer of Sudanese origin Dina Latif launched an online fundraising campaign. It raised 45,000 pounds sterling, around 60,000 US dollars, to cover the costs of Zaher's treatment and medical care.
With the necessary treatment unavailable in Sudan, Zaher and his mother were forced to leave for Cairo. It took months of planning, made harder by the loss of their passports and birth certificates during the war.
In Cairo, Zaher underwent surgery, then a rehabilitation and physiotherapy programme that lasted months, alongside psychological support to help him overcome the trauma. Eventually he could use his prosthetic legs, walk and kick a ball again.
Zaher and his mother later returned to Khartoum. There are hopes his story will draw attention to the suffering of thousands of Sudanese children left with permanent disabilities by the war.
