Vinicius Junior sends Arabic message to Sudanese teenager Zaher after life-changing injury

Vinicius Junior has invited a 13-year-old Sudanese boy who lost both legs in the war in Khartoum to attend a Real Madrid match and meet him at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Brazilian forward recorded a personal message in Arabic for Zaher, who was injured in 2024 before regaining the ability to walk with the help of two prosthetic legs.

Vinicius expressed his support for Zaher and said he hoped the teenager could rebuild his life and return to playing football.

“I heard your story and I know how difficult the past few months have been for you,” Vinicius said. “I hope you make good use of your new prosthetic legs, return to playing football and find happiness. You deserve it.”

He added: “I would like to invite you to watch a match in Madrid. We can spend the day together.”

The message followed a BBC report about Zaher’s story, in which the teenager identified Vinicius as his favourite player. That prompted the Real Madrid forward to send him a message of encouragement.

After watching the video, Zaher said: “Tell Vinicius that I love him. His message lifted my spirits a lot.”

Zaher’s journey

Zaher and his mother, Habiba, were trapped in Khartoum in 2024 as fighting continued between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, a conflict that began in 2023.

The pair had been selling lentils on the streets to earn a living when a drone fell nearby. Zaher suffered injuries that resulted in both legs being amputated and was unable to walk.

According to UNICEF, more than 17 million children in Sudan require humanitarian assistance. At least 4,300 children have been verified as killed or injured, although the true figure is believed to be considerably higher.

Following the BBC report, British Sudanese lawyer Dina Latif launched an online fundraising campaign. It raised £45,000, equivalent to about $60,000, to pay for Zaher’s treatment and medical care.

Because the treatment he needed was unavailable in Sudan, Zaher and his mother eventually travelled to Cairo after months of planning. Their preparations were complicated by the loss of their passports and birth certificates during the war.

In Cairo, Zaher underwent surgery before beginning several months of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. He also received psychological support to help him deal with the trauma.

He eventually learned to use his prosthetic legs, walk again and kick a football.

Zaher and his mother later returned to Khartoum. His story has offered hope while drawing attention to the thousands of Sudanese children left with permanent disabilities as a result of the war.