Vinicius Junior Sends Video Message to Sudanese Boy Who Lost Both Legs
Brazilian footballer Vinicius Junior has sent a personal video message of support to Zaher, a 13-year-old Sudanese boy who lost both legs in a drone strike. The Real Madrid winger addressed him in Arabic as "Zaher, mahaba" and invited him to attend a Real Madrid match and spend the day together.
Zaher was 13 years old in 2024, when he lost his legs while trapped with his mother, Habibah, in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. Before the strike, the two had sold lentils on the city's streets to survive.
Zaher now lives in Cairo, Egypt. He underwent surgery there, followed by months of rehabilitation, and has received two new prosthetic legs, or artificial limbs. He is now able to walk and kick a football again.
Zaher's enthusiasm for the game predates his injury. When he was interviewed in 2025, he named Vinicius Junior as his favourite footballer.
The boy's experience is part of a wider conflict. Fighting between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in 2023. UNICEF, the United Nations children's agency, reports that more than 17 million children in Sudan need humanitarian assistance, meaning food, shelter, medical care and other emergency aid. The agency says it has verified at least 4,300 children killed or maimed in the country.
