Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr sends surprise message to boy who lost his legs in Sudan's war
Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior sent a surprise video message to a 13-year-old Sudanese refugee who lost his legs in the ongoing civil war. The boy, now living in Cairo, has received prosthetic legs and is undergoing rehabilitation.
Why it matters
This story highlights the human impact of the Sudanese conflict while showcasing the influence of global sports figures in providing hope to victims of humanitarian crises.
Image source, Joe McNally/BBC Image caption, Zaher is one of millions of children whose lives have been devastated by Sudan's civil war
In a dark room in Cairo, a 13-year-old boy looks up at a television screen, barely blinking.
The screen flickers and Real Madrid's superstar winger Vinícius Júnior appears addressing the young boy directly, in Arabic: "Zaher, mahaba" - Hello Zaher.
Zaher barely moves, his eyes wide, locked on his favourite footballer.
We first met Zaher a year ago in the ruins of Sudan's capital, Khartoum. He was a small quiet child, scarred by war - one of millions of children whose lives have been upended since the country's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started fighting in 2023.
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