Mohamed ‘Zidane’

Name: Mohamed

Position: Midfielder

Hometown: Freetown

Age: 15

Mohamed comes from Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown in an area known as Wilberforce and infamous for violence and gangs.

At the age of five Mohamed began helping his family earn money by selling oranges along the streets of Freetown. Early on he only sold on the weekends because he was going to school, but money became harder and harder to earn and soon Mohamed could not attend school because his family could longer pay for the fees.

Mohamed found comfort in soccer, playing in the streets with his friends. It didn’t take long for someone to take notice of his natural ability, and Mohamed was scouted by a local team manager who asked him to join his team and in return the team would pay his school fees. Mohamed gladly accepted, “I was so happy to get back into school. I know how important education is and where it can take me.”

In 2010 Mohamed was selected to join the academy and was quickly identified as a promising talent who possessed a high level of technical ball skills as well as an impressive level of creativity.

 

Sponsor Mohamed!

If you would like to support Mohamed’s personal, academic and athletic development, then please contact us at sponsor@craigbellamyfoundation.org