Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has sent an Arabic video message to a Sudanese child named Zaher, expressing support and extending an official invitation for him to attend a match at the Santiago Bernabeu and meet him in person.
Vinicius’s Arabic video and official invitation
Vinicius Junior recorded a video message in Arabic for Zaher, a 13-year-old boy, in which he expressed his full solidarity and wished him a return to his normal life and to playing football again.
In the message, Vinicius told Zaher: "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 also said: "I would like to invite you to attend a match in Madrid, we can spend the day together."
Vinicius’s invitation to Zaher was an official one, offering him the chance to attend a Real Madrid match at the Santiago Bernabeu and to meet the forward in person.
Zaher’s injury in Khartoum and departure
Zaher lost his legs in 2024 in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, before regaining the ability to walk thanks to two prosthetic limbs.
In 2024, Zaher and his mother Habiba were trapped in Khartoum, caught in battles between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces that have raged since 2023.
At the time, Zaher and his mother were selling lentils in the streets to make a living when a drone fell near them, leading to Zaher losing both his legs to amputation and, with them, his ability to walk.
With the necessary treatment unavailable in Sudan, Zaher and his mother were forced to leave for Cairo.
It took months of planning for Zaher and his mother to make the journey to Cairo, a process made harder by the loss of their passports and birth certificates during the war.
Treatment and rehabilitation in Cairo
In Cairo, Zaher underwent surgery, followed by a rehabilitation and physiotherapy programme that lasted months.
Alongside this, he received psychological support to help him overcome the trauma.
Eventually Zaher was able to use his prosthetic legs, walk and kick a ball again.
Zaher and his mother later returned to Khartoum.
BBC report, fundraising campaign and Zaher’s reaction
A report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) revealed Zaher’s story, in which Zaher named Vinicius as his favourite player.
The report prompted Vinicius to record his personal message of support for Zaher.
Once the BBC report was published, British lawyer of Sudanese origin Dina Latif launched an online fundraising campaign.
The fundraising campaign raised 45,000 pounds sterling, around 60,000 US dollars, to cover the costs of Zaher’s treatment and medical care.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), more than 17 million children in Sudan need humanitarian aid.
UNICEF also stated that at least 4,300 children in Sudan have been verified as killed or injured, with the real number likely much higher.
Having watched the message, Zaher said: "Tell Vinicius that I love him, his message lifted my spirits a lot."
