Ivory Coast and Seattle Sounders winger, Georgi Minoungou, is overcoming incredible challenges at the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup while living with a visual impairment.
The 22-year-old has already featured against top clubs Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, and PSG in the tournament.
Minoungou’s life changed dramatically in the summer of 2023 during a pre-season camp in Marbella, Spain, when he suffered a sudden, severe eye infection that caused him to lose vision in his left eye.
Though surgery saved the eye itself, his sight could not be restored.
Hailing from Batiebly, the winger initially joined Seattle Sounders’ reserve team, Tacoma Defiance, on loan from Czech club MFK Vyskov in 2022.
His impressive performances, including 14 goal contributions in over 50 appearances, earned him a long-term contract with Seattle in August 2023.
Shortly after his promotion to the senior team during pre-season, Minoungou scored in a friendly against Sweden’s Hammarby IF.
However, he was soon sidelined due to the worsening eye infection that ultimately led to his partial vision loss.
Despite doctors doubting his return to professional football, Minoungou made an inspiring comeback.
After roughly six months of recovery and ongoing specialist check-ups every six months, he is now representing Seattle on football’s grand stage.
Having played 11 minutes in Seattle’s 3-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid, Minoungou is hopeful to feature again in the final Club World Cup group match against PSG on Monday evening.
