Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr sends surprise message to boy who lost his legs in Sudan's war

ByNawal Al-Maghafi Senior international investigations correspondent, Reporting fromCairo.

Key points

• The screen flickers and Real Madrid's superstar winger Vinícius Júnior appears addressing the young boy directly, in Arabic: "Zaher, mahaba" – Hello Zaher.
• When we met in 2025, he had informed us his favourite footballer was Vinícius Júnior.
• When he and his mother had been trapped in Khartoum, zaher lost his legs in 2024.
• More than 17 million children are now in need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan, according to the UN children's charity, Unicef.
• "His message has really uplifted me." His mother Habibah notes she feels "like the whole world is cheering Zaher on, wanting him to succeed".

In a dark room in Cairo, a 13-year-old boy looks up at a television screen, barely blinking.

For context, 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 Backing Forces (RSF) kicked off fighting in 2023.

More than 17 million children are now in need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan, according to the UN children's charity, Unicef. Although it believes the true figure is far higher, it notes it managed to verify that at least 4, 300 have been killed or maimed.

Zaher had lost both his legs in a drone strike. With little access to specialist treatment, he dreamed of the day he might walk and play football again.

As we walk into an apartment in the Egyptian capital, Zaher greets us with an enormous hug, more than a year afterwards. His mother, Habibah, embraces us too.

For context, the boy we remember as shy and withdrawn is almost unrecognisable. He is confident, cheeky and full of smiles. And he is standing tall on two new prosthetic legs.

For almost a year, Cairo has been his home. Here, he has undergone surgery and months of rehabilitation, and is now able to walk and kick a ball again.

When we met in 2025, he had informed us his favourite footballer was Vinícius Júnior. We were able to pass this on to the Real Madrid star. This person remarked he wanted to send a personal video message of backing. Reunited in Cairo, we gather round to watch it together.

"I was created aware of your story. I know how tough the last few months must have been for you, " the Brazilian footballer begins.

Vinícius has become a leading voice challenging racism in football and supporting black individuals, and a smile spreads throughout Zaher's face as the player tells him: "You are a hard-working black man. I really hope you will create good apply of your new prosthetic legs, that you return to playing football and that you find happiness. You deserve it."

Then comes an invitation: "I would like to invite you to attend a Madrid match. We can spend the day together."

Overwhelmed, Zaher gets up and leaves the room. A few moments afterwards, he returns wearing his new Vinícius Jr football shirt. He hopes that one day he will be able to obtain a visa and accept the offer.

"Tell Vinícius, I love him, " he notes. "His message has really uplifted me." His mother Habibah notes she feels "like the whole world is cheering Zaher on, wanting him to succeed".

When he and his mother had been trapped in Khartoum, zaher lost his legs in 2024. Much of the city had become a battleground as it was torn apart by fighting between Sudan's army and the RSF.

Food and basic supplies were running short and the family did not have enough funds to flee. To survive, they sold lentils on the streets.

As Zaher and his mother worked side by side, a drone struck, then one morning.

"I looked at him and he was bleeding. There was blood everywhere, " Habibah explained last year.

She was devastated. "He would wake up and ask: 'Why did you let them cut off my legs?' I couldn't answer."

Back then, Zaher was wheeling himself through the rubble of his neighbourhood in a wheelchair, past burnt-out cars, abandoned tanks and shattered homes.

Before the war, Zaher had loved football. After the drone strike, he could only play on his knees, a painful process that put him at risk of serious infection.

"I wish I could have prosthetic legs so I can play football with my friends like I used to, " he remarked at the time.

There seemed little prospect of that happening, but his story resonated far beyond Sudan, prompting an outpouring of backing from residents worldwide.

Among them was Dena Latif, a UK-based lawyer of Sudanese origin. After seeing the BBC report, she supported spearhead an online campaign raising £45, 000 ($60, 000) for his medical care.

Unable to obtain the treatment he needed in Sudan, Zaher had to leave the country. It was far from straightforward. He and his mother had no passports and their birth certificates had been destroyed during the war.

After months of planning, he and his mother were able to fly to Cairo where an apartment had been prepared for them, with food in the fridge and medical appointments arranged.

For the first time in years, their immediate concern was no longer simply how to survive.

'I can't afford to save both twins': Sudan's war left one mother with an impossible choice. A simple guide to what is happening in Sudan.

Zaher underwent further surgery, followed by months of physiotherapy and training to learn to employ his prosthetic legs. He additionally received psychological backing to support him process the trauma he had been through.

"He was shy, a little bit depressed, sad, " notes Dr Bintelmuna Eltayeb, one of the doctors involved in his care. "To obtain a smile out of him was almost impossible, but now you can see he's laughing. He has great confidence in himself."

His transformation has been as much psychological as physical, say those close to him, and Dena notes Zaher now approaches life with a determination that has surprised them.

As we spend time with Zaher, he laughs and jokes, making up for some of the childhood that war has taken from him.

He is eager to try new things, from horse riding to cycling, and wants to become an airline pilot. He hasn't had a game of football yet but is looking forward to playing with his friends back home.

For Habibah, watching her son regain his confidence has brought enormous relief. But she worries regarding his future, his education and how he will be received in Sudan, a country still locked in civil war.

For context, the state of emergency has been lifted in their home city, Khartoum, with the Sudanese army back in control there. But throughout the capital, buildings have been left destroyed – burned, blackened and looted.

Reservations over security remain and 41% of Sudan's population are experiencing high levels of food insecurity, according to a recent statement issued by the US and 30 other Western states. The group additionally cautioned of "potential famine".

"I hope that Zaher's story doesn't end with him, " notes Dena. She hopes his recovery will attract more attention and funds for the thousands of other Sudanese children who have suffered life-altering injuries.

Zaher and his mother are now back in Khartoum. They hope that as the city is more stable right now, he will be able to obtain his prosthetic legs checked and adjusted there as he grows.

Despite the safety they discovered in Cairo, they missed their home, family and friends. And while Zaher has been given a chance to reclaim his childhood, millions of other Sudanese children are still waiting for theirs. Extra reporting by Scarlett Barter and Abdelrahman Abutaleb. Sudan's invisible children – born in war with no legal identity. Hospitals deliberately targeted by Sudan's RSF fighters, BBC finds.

Taken together, the developments around real Madrid' s Vinícius Jr sends surprise message to boy who lost his point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.