Vinícius invites Sudanese boy who lost his legs to Real Madrid match

The BBC first met Zaher in Khartoum in 2025, when he named Vinícius as his favourite footballer. The broadcaster says it passed this on to the player, who sent a personal video message inviting him to a Madrid match and proposing that they spend the day together.

Zaher watched the message with the BBC in Cairo and said it had lifted his spirits. He hopes to get a visa so he can accept the invitation.

According to the BBC, Zaher was injured in 2024 when a drone struck as he and his mother, Habibah, were selling lentils in Khartoum. Both his legs were amputated below the knee. He later told the broadcaster that he wished for prosthetic legs so he could play football with his friends again.

After his story was reported, a fundraising campaign led by UK-based lawyer Dena Latif raised £45,000 for his care, the BBC says. Zaher travelled to Cairo, where he underwent further surgery and months of rehabilitation. He can now walk and kick a ball using prosthetic legs.

Zaher and his mother have since returned to Khartoum. They hope his prosthetic legs can be checked and adjusted there as he grows.

The war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in 2023. Unicef says more than 17 million children in Sudan need humanitarian assistance. It has verified that at least 4,300 have been killed or maimed, but believes the true figure is much higher.