Sport Features

ARGENTINA’s Alexis Mac Allister was born to do it.The Brighton midfielder, 23, has been instrumental in his country’s march to the semi-final of the World Cup.
Alexis Mac Allister of Argentina and Brighton boasts a famous family tree in his homelandCredit: Getty
Dad Carlos Mac Allister, centre, played with Diego Maradona at Boca Juniors
And his rise as a Premier League star has been helped by having football in his blood.
Dad Carlos played alongside Diego Maradona, although missed out on the 1994 World Cup squad.
His older brothers Francis, 27, and Kevin, 25, turn out in the Argentine top flight for Rosario Central and Argentinos Juniors respectively.
While uncle Patricio also enjoyed a successful career most notably with Estudiantes.
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Football in the blood
Alexis began his football education at Club Social Parque in Buenos Aires, alongside his two brothers.
Famously, it’s where Maradona, Carlos Tevez and Juan Roman Riquelme all honed their skills on the small pitches there.
They practically lived in the club – with the three consistently training with their own age group and sometimes together.
A short stint at Club JJ Batista was then followed by a move to Argentinos Juniors.
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“I think the three of them were born to be footballers, because they grew up with everything that had happened to my brother and me as footballers,” Carlos told The Athletic back in 2020.
It was the Carlos and his sibling Patricio who paved for the way for the younger generation.
Steeped in football, they branched into building their own club. This would also see Alexis involved.
Club Mac Allister
Not to be confused with a nightclub in Glasgow, Carlos and Patricio launched their own football academy in La Pampa.
It bore their name and was launched as Club Mac Allister in 1998.
Alexis played with Francis and Kevin, although they were so engrossed in the world of football – they took on additional responsibilities.
Uncle Patricio Mac Allister set up a football academy with his dadCredit: YouTube / VIDEOSZONADEPORTIVA
Kevin Mac Allister currently plays for Argentinos JuniorsCredit: Getty
Francis Mc Allister also turned out for Argentinos JuniorsCredit: Getty
Alexis Mac Allister with brothers Kevin, left, and Francis, right
“I’d do scouting reports for a Spanish side, Osasuna, so they were with me and they helped me to put the report together,” Carlos explained.
“I was following two or three players; one of the boys would follow one player, another would follow another player, the third would follow a third player — and we’d send reports on the teams from Argentina.
“So they grew up around football.”
Alexis, himself, confessed the same.
“I was playing football [almost from birth],” he told Sky Sports.
“Everything is about football with my family, we watch it and talk about it. We love football.
“Growing up, I watched Juan Roman Riquelme because I supported Boca Juniors and he played there. He was amazing. I really liked Pablo Aimar, too, and of course, Messi is a hero as well.”
They’re not Scottish
Throughout the years, starting off with Carlos and Patricio, the family have had to field questions about their name.
The assumption was their family tree would have Scottish links. Carlos put those suspicions to rest.
Mac Allister has impressed for Argentina at the World CupCredit: Getty
Carlos Mac Allister has explained where the surname has come fromCredit: AFP
“According to our family, we came from Ireland, rather than Scotland,” dad Carlos reveals.
He said: “We came to Argentina, to a place called Pergamino, but that was three or four generations ago, and later my father and mother married and moved to a different place — Santa Rosa in the Province of La Pampa, which is where Alexis was born.
“Now, when we get together, they always say that our ancestors came from Ireland. I don’t know whether the ones before them were from Scotland, and went to Ireland from Scotland, and then our ancestors came here. But we say that we came from Ireland.”
Alexis’s rise
Like his brothers before him, his dad and uncle, Alexis followed family tradition by representing Argentinos Juniors.
He made his debut for the club aged just 17 – when they played in the second tier.
Incredibly, all three once played in a game away at San Lorenzo in a 1-0 defeat.
But, for Alexis, there was a greater calling.
In 2019, he signed for Brighton, before he was loaned back to Juniors and then Boca, where he once again teamed up with his brother Kevin for regular game time.
Since 2020, Alexis has been a regular for the Seagulls – establishing himself in their engine room alongside fellow South American Moises Caicedo.
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It comes as little surprise that he has been recently linked with a move to Spurs.
Should he become a World Cup winner in the next week, expect that transfer fee to rise significantly.
Alexis Mac Allister has been a revelation for Brighton since his debut in 2020Credit: AFP More

AFTER scoring the winning penalty that sent his country to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, Achraf Hakimi ran straight to the stands to his mum.The devoted son, 24, then jumped into the crowd to share a loving kiss with his mother and give her his shirt, before joining his team-mates in celebration after knocking out Spain on penalties.
Achraf Hakimi shares an intimate moment with mum SaidaCredit: Getty
Moments before, Hakimi was celebrating with team-mates after scoring the winning penalty against SpainCredit: Getty
It was a moment that symbolised the PSG defender’s journey, from a humble upbringing in Madrid to a football superstar and hero for his country.
Before Hakimi was born, his parents Hasan and Saida moved from Africa in search of a better life.
She worked as a house cleaner, while his father sold fruit on the street.
Hakimi himself has spoken of the poverty he grew up in and how thankful he is for their support.
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“My mother was a house cleaner, and my father was a street vendor. We come from a low-income family that struggled to make ends meet,” he told Bundesliga.com in 2020.
“Today, I fight for them every day. They gave up their lives for me. They took many things away from my brothers in order for me to succeed.”
From the suburbs of Madrid
Hakimi’s parents emigrated from a small Moroccan village near Casablanca to Getafe “to build a better life for themselves,” according to their son.
“They came from areas where there is hardly any work. They had to fight enormously hard. I have no words to describe my parents.”
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As a child, Hakimi couldn’t sit still. So his mum threw him into sport.
“When I was young my mother tried to get me into judo or swimming, I told her it had to be football,” he said.

Hakimi played for local team CD Colonia Ofigevi, before Real Madrid offered him a trial when he was just seven.
The offer was received the old-fashioned way – with a letter in the post, although he thought the letter was a joke.
“I honestly thought that it was a lie and that my father was pulling my leg,” Hakimi would later comment.
Pitted against the country’s finest players of his age group, Hakimi wasn’t fazed. He excelled in a training sessions, and Los Blancos soon gave him a place in the academy.
But there would be hardship to come.
Hakimi and his siblings grew up in a poor suburb of MadridCredit: Instagram / @achrafhakimi
Aged seven, Hakimi starred for local team CD Colonia Ofigevi before Real Madrid offered him a trialCredit: Instagram / @achrafhakimi
Hakimi’s beloved mum Saida supported her son’s footballing dreams by cleaning houses to make ends meetCredit: Instagram / @achrafhakimi
Fifa ban
In 2016, Hakimi was hit with a Fifa ban following an investigation into whether Real Madrid illegally signed underage players from overseas.
It was completely unjust, given he was born in Spain and held a Spanish passport.
“It is a mistake that has never really been fully explained. He didn’t expect it and didn’t understand what had happened,” Hakimi’s brother Nabil recalled.
“They had a game near Bilbao and when they got there they told him he couldn’t play.”
Rabie Takassa, a scout in Spain for the Moroccan Football Federation, saw it as racial profiling.
He said: “They saw a Moroccan name and he was punished without deserving it.
In 2016, youth star Hakimi faced a ban after a Fifa investigation
Hakimi was cleared of any wrongdoing and would star the following season for Los BlancosCredit: Getty – Contributor
“Real Madrid and his family gave all the papers required showing he was born in a hospital in Madrid, that he studied here, that he spent all his life growing up here.
“It was a complicated time for him because he didn’t know when Fifa would give him the green light to play again.”
Zidane believed in him
At the tender age of just 18, Hakimi was handed his Real Madrid debut against Espanyol when that red tape was cleared.
It was club legend and then manager Zinedine Zidane who gave him his chance.
“I’m grateful to him for his faith in me and the way he has treated me,” Hakimi revealed.
“I’ll always be grateful to him.”
But, with competition for places blocking him from playing regular first team football, the club knew they had to arrange a loan deal that would benefit them and whoever signed him.
Growth at Dortmund
A year after making his debut for the LaLiga giants, Hakimi signed for Borussia Dortmund on a two-year loan deal.
Borussia Dortmund gave Hakimi a platform to growCredit: Instagram / @achrafhakimi
Sensationally, Hakimi would record the fastest ever running speed in the BundesligaCredit: AFP or licensors
Immediately, and literally, he hit the ground running.
His dynamism as an attacking full-back was evident in a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid – where he unlocked Diego Simeone’s tight defence to record three assists.
While in 2020, speed demon Hakimi recorded the fastest ever speed in the Bundesliga – clocking in at 22.5mph for one particular swashbuckling run in a thrilling 3-3 draw with RB Leipzig. He would later narrowly beat that three months later in a game against Union Berlin.
After two brilliant seasons in Germany, it was expected he would return to Madrid to cement his place in their first team for years to come.
Rather surprisingly, Hakimi was sold to Inter Milan for £35million, after Antonio Conte personally called him to explain the role he had in his team.
As a wing-back, he would score an impressive seven goals in Serie A as Inter landed the scudetto in 2021.
However, with the club’s financial woes – and being a key asset – he was sold after just one season in Italy. A new challenge beckoned.
In Hakimi’s only season at Inter he won Serie ACredit: Getty
PSG paid a staggering £60m for Hakimi’s services in 2021Credit: Getty
His current adventure
PSG paid a staggering £60million for Hakimi’s services in 2021, and he won the Ligue 1 title in his first campaign for the club.
But, for the first time in his career, he struggled for form and there was apparent fallout.
Reports suggested Hakimi was unhappy with how Mauricio Pochettino utilised him – asking him to concentrate on his defensive duties instead of his natural attacking ones.
Then, there were suggestions in the French media he was being blanked in the dressing room by the team’s South American contingent, although he has found an ally in Kylian Mbappe in the ego-filled dressing room.
“Hakimi is going crazy, the South Americans don’t talk to him anymore,” French journalist Daniel Riolo told the After foot show on RMC.
“He already wants to leave Paris, he is fed up. In this team his qualities have never exploded, so maybe you have to give him up.
“I criticised Hakimi for his fluctuating form, but it must be said that in this team he struggles to express his qualities.
“He is angry and that’s normal, he can’t take it anymore.”
Hakimi in action against Man City last seasonCredit: Getty
In Kylian Mbappe Hakimi has found an ally in the PSG dressing roomCredit: Instagram / @achrafhakimi
In the meantime…
While there may be trouble in paradise professional, privately his life couldn’t be any better.
Hakimi first met his future wife – the beautiful actress Hiba Abouk – in 2018 when he was at Dortmund.
A long-distance romance entailed, before she relocated from Madrid.
Twelve years his senior, she made her name in Spanish crime drama El Principe, and like Hakimi she is a devout Muslim.
The pair share similar stories – she was born in Madrid to parents who had emigrated from Tunisia.
Two years ago, they got married in a secret wedding, welcomed their first son and added another boy to their brood this year.
Back in October, with the World Cup on the horizon, they appeared in a stunning shoot in Vogue Arabia.
Wearing his heart on his sleeve, Hakimi explained: “Here in Paris you play for the team of the city, but it’s not the same to play with the team of your country.
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Glam couple Hakimi and wife Hiba Abouk attend the Cannes Film FestivalCredit: Lionel Hahn/Getty Images

“Millions and millions of people are going to support you because you play for them. It’s like you play for your grandfather and their grandfathers. You play for a lot of people, a lot of Moroccans.”
Expect Hakimi to bleed for the cause when Morocco take on Portugal on Saturday – with a place in the semi-final up for grabs. More

AS entrances go, this is up there with some of the best.When Portugal coach Fernando Santos dropped Cristiano Ronaldo for the last-16 clash against Switzerland for 21-year-old Goncalo Ramos, it was a decision that could have backfired spectacularly.
Goncalo Ramos announced himself on the big stage with his World Cup hat-trickCredit: Getty
Ramos expertly chips in his third as Portugal run riot against SwitzerlandCredit: Rex
But, with all the pressure on the young forward’s shoulders, he came to the fore – scoring a stunning hat-trick to banish the Swiss from Qatar in a commanding 6-1 win.
Ramos was already seen as the heir to Ronaldo’s throne, and it was a performance that cemented that belief, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner looking on as his understudy drew the plaudits.
The boy from the Algarve was destined to be a footballer, following in the footsteps of his dad Manuel who was capped twice by Portugal’s U21s.
His rise at Benfica alongside Darwin Nunez was steady, but since the Uruguayan left for Liverpool that ascent has been more rapid.
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Now the main man with the Lisbon giants, Manchester United are said to be keeping close tabs on Ramos – who ironically could step into Ronaldo’s shoes for club and country.
Year of the Ram
Ramos grew up in 0lhao, where he began his football dream at Olhanense in 2009.
A spell at Loule led to Benfica snapping him up when he was just 12.
It was in the 2020-21 season in their B team he began to shine – scoring 11 times in 12 games, which got the attention of then-coach Jorge Jesus.
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Jesus gave him a start in the qualifying round of the Champions League against Spartak Moscow.
But chances were few and far between, following the arrival of Roman Yaremchuk and the return of Nunez from injury.
However, when interim manager Nelson Verissimo replaced Jesus in January 2022 – his luck was in.
Verissimo was his coach for the B team and got the best out of the talent.
And in the first team, it paid dividends. Ramos played regularly and contributed seven goals. His most memorable was in the 3-3 draw at Anfield against Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
Already he had garnered a nickname. He was christened ‘The Wizard’ by fans.
Former Benfica strike partners Darwin Nunez and Ramos catch up in QatarCredit: Reuters
Ramos has exploded onto the scene at BenficaCredit: Getty
He’s continued to fly
Compared to Karim Benzema for his ability to bring others into play, Ramos is comfortable playing as a striker or second striker.
He likes to drop deep and help his team build their attacks, and at 6ft1in tall has plenty of strength to hold off defenders.
It’s this season under German manager Roger Schmidt, who has utilised Ramos as his front man, the goals have rained in.
He scored his first career hat-trick against Midtjylland in a 4-1 win in the Champions League,
In 21 games this campaign he has 14 goals. Benfica fans are right to ask the question, “Darwin who?’
Last summer, Manchester United were one of the clubs targeting Ramos – who was then valued at £25million. You can imagine now that fee has doubled.
His feet are being firmly kept on the ground by dad Manuel, who helped shape his football identity.
Ramos Sr was a promising talent himself, and played twice for Portugal’s U21 side.
However, he didn’t hit the heights his son already has – with Farense being the most famous club he played for.
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At just 21, Ramos has been called the heir to Ronaldo’s throneCredit: Getty
Supportive dad Manuel Ramos used to be a former player and has kept his son’s feet on the ground
Man Utd were linked with hotshot Ramos last summerCredit: Getty
But Manuel is a regular at the Estadio da Luz, watching from the stands as his son’s stock continues to rise.
Maybe he will be watching him next at Old Trafford, not playing for Benfica, but turning out for the Red Devils in the near future. More

FORGET fancy boots, these footballers are customising to the finest detail by wearing unique shin pads.Stars from countries including England, Spain, Germany and more are wearing guards that feature images of their Wags, families, dedications to their clubs and even themselves.
Bukayo Saka’s love for Arsenal shines through with his shin padsCredit: Getty
In the past, we’ve seen Cristiano Ronaldo wear shin pads with pictures of him and Georgina Rodriguez on in a major tournament.
And like CR7, these stars are no different.
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal is England winger’s Saka’s first love, clearly.
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The Three Lions star, who boasts three goals in the World Cup, has his club crest on his shin pads.
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On top of that is his squad number – “7” – for all his team-mates to see.
The Spurs contingent of Harry Kane and Eric Dier won’t want to see them, though.
Just imagine the bragging rights.

Raphinha
As the camera panned to the bench during Brazil’s game against Cameroon, we caught a glimpse of the Barcelona star’s shinnies.
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And a fetching set they were. They featured Raphinha’s image on the them – wearing his country’s famous yellow jersey.
Transate (loosely) what’s written on the top of them and they say, “Bring the Cup home”.
Raphinha’s shin pads feature a World Cup vowCredit: Alamy
Antonio Rudiger
Germany didn’t have the best of World Cups – getting eliminated in the group stages.
So, Rudiger didn’t get long to sport his custom pads.
They are symbolic of his play – as a defender – with a clenched fist punching the air alongside his signature.
A punching fist is seen on Antonio Rudiger’s shin guardsCredit: Getty
Koke
For the Spain and Atletico Madrid star, Koke’s club and family are his life.
His shin pads represent both – with images of his family, saluting the crowd at the Wanda Metropolitano and more emblazoned on them.
Should Spain win the World Cup he will have more more memories to etch on them.
Koke’s family and success at Atletico Madrid are pictured on his shin padsCredit: Getty
Youssoufa Moukoko
The 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund wonderkid made just one sub appearance at the World Cup, before the Germans departed.
But, with his talent, you get the feeling he will be around for many more.
Moukoko dons the famous yellow and black of Dortmund, with an image of himself on his shin pads. There’s also a touching message to his mother.
Youssoufa Moukoko gives a shout out to his ‘mama’Credit: Getty
Dani Carvajal
Full back Carvajal has been instrumental in Real Madrid’s success.
It’s no wonder then that he has several images representing Los Blancos on his shin guards.
His surname is also blasted across the middle in a futuristic-looking font.
Club man Dani Carvajal shows his loyalty to Real MadridCredit: Getty
Gareth Bale
Wales legend Bale likes to keep it simple with his shin pads.
There’s no fancy graphics or imagery. Simply, he has the Welsh flag on the middle.
Below that, you’ll find his initials and number.
Gareth Bale keeps it simple with his country’s flag, his initials and squad numberCredit: Getty
Kevin Trapp
When you are married to one of the most beautiful women in the world, you would want to show that off.
Former Victoria’s Secret supermodel Izabel Goulart features in a clench with German keeper Trapp on his specially designed guards.
There is absolutely no reference to football on there whatsoever.
Kevin Trapp shows of glam wife super model Izabel GoulartCredit: Getty
Gaku Shibasaki
Japan is synonymous with anime – which draws scores of fans.
Shibasaki is clearly a fan, judging by what he was wearing ahead of a match against Costa Rica.
His featured himself, dressed up as a samurai in anime form.
Gaku Shibasaki is immortalised as a Japanese anime samuraiCredit: Getty
Karim Adeyemi
German youngster Adeyemi is also a fan of Japanese anime.
His favourite show is Dragon Ball Z, with characters from that drawn on to his shin pads.
In the past, we’ve seen other footballers in love with the cartoon including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has some Dragon Ball Z tattoos.
Karim Adeyemi is also a fan of Japanese anime, with this dedication to Dragon Ball ZCredit: Getty
Pablo Sarabia
The PSG winger has got all sentimental with his shin pads.
Family means the world to him, as well as his girlfriend Carmen who is featured holding his hand as they walk into the sunset.
Other family members and their names are also adorned on the shin pads.
Family man Pablo Sarabia dedicates his shin pads to family and girlfriend CarmenCredit: Getty
Pedro Miguel
Qatar defender Miguel was born in Portugal, hence what is written on his shin pads.
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Translated from Portuguese, “fe em deus” is roughly translated as faith in god in English.
An image underneath it features Miguel pointing up towards the message or the sky, showing he’s a religious man.
Religious Pedro Miguel of Qatar puts his faith in godCredit: Getty More

CHELSEA and Liverpool transfer target Josko Gvardiol appears as uncompromising a defender as they come – sporting a brutish facial mask to protect a broken nose suffered before the World Cup.Flying into a last-ditch tackle to thwart Romelu Lukaku, as his country knocked out Belgium in the group stages he showed his courage and tenacity on the pitch – with the interception as good a moment you’ll see in Qatar.
Battle-hardened Josko Gvardiol has been Croatia’s standout star in the World CupCredit: Getty
An emotional Gvardiol hugs his mum in the stands
A goal-saving last-ditch tackle against Belgium on Romelu Lukaku has been one of the great moments of the World CupCredit: EPA
However, an unmasked Gvardiol, who is just 20, dropped his battled-hardened demeanour when Croatia sealed qualification for the knockout stages.
He ran to the stands to greet his mum, and while tears streamed down his face gave her the biggest of hugs.
The heart-warming moment was even addressed by Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic in a press conference, who revealed it was “a true image” of his team.
“When I saw this photo, it warmed my heart,” he said.
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“And that’s why Josko is one of the best defenders in the world. You can’t be a good fighter if you’re not complete as a person, if you don’t have all the feelings.
“I congratulate his mother for raising such a son. Such a man who is a top footballer and at the same time a modest man is the result of upbringing and faith.
“It is very important. Such values are very important to us, and I also represent them.”

From Croatia to Germany
Gvardiol caught the footballing bug when he was just 7.
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His dad, an amateur player, took him to NK Tresnjevka where his passion for the game and determination saw him move to Dinamo Zagreb just three years later.
He learned how to defend, though, playing further forward.
“I played as a striker as a child and that helps me to know the movements of the strikers,” he revealed.
Gvardiol began to stand out for the Croatian giants during the 2018-19 season, helping the club reach the UEFA Youth League quarter-finals. They were knocked out on penalties by Chelsea, but scouts were aware of his special talent.
A year later and he had broken into Dinamo’s first team, helping the club clinch the league title.
By 2021, RB Leipzig – a group known for developing youngsters – splashed the cash to bring Gvardiol to the Bundesliga.
Upon signing, Gvardiol insisted: “I’m very happy to be able to make this step to RB Leipzig. The club is among the best in Europe and has a very clear style of play.
“As a young player, it was important for me to come to a club that can help me take the next step in my career.
“That is exactly what RB Leipzig is all about. The club has shown several times how players can develop and improve here.”
The deal worth £18million, plus £7million in add-ons, now looks a steal – with reports suggesting clubs are going to have to pay a fee in the region of £80million.
That’s after just one and half seasons in Germany, where the left-footed centre back has already established himself as one of the best defenders of his generation – just 66 games into his career in Saxony.
Gvardiol launches into a tackle for Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Youth LeagueCredit: Getty
Versatile Gvardiol moved to Leipzig in 2021 for a fee of £25mCredit: Getty
‘Little Pep’
Gvardiol has been likened to Real Madrid star David Alaba in style because he’s left-footed and is equally as dominant playing at full-back, as he is at centre back or in midfield.
On occasion, he has played further forward and shouldn’t just considered a stopper.
Amusingly, he is nicknamed ‘Little Pep’, after Man City manager Pep Guardiola.
But he’s not the sort of deep-lying playmaker the Barcelona legend was known as.
The similarities are simply because the names sound similar.
Highly-coveted
Nickname aside, Pep is said to be a big fan.
Manchester City were linked with him, until they switched their sights to a cheaper alternative in Manuel Akanji.
Liverpool, Chelsea, and now Tottenham are all reportedly in the hunt for his services.
“Everyone is talking about this boy,” former Bayern and Croatian legend Ivica Olic said.
“All the top clubs in Europe know him. Gvardiol is an extraordinary talent.
“He can play great long balls, is a fine technician and is physically very strong.”
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Gvardiol has been nicknamed ‘Little Pep’Credit: Reuters
Europe’s top clubs are all willing to pay big money for GvardiolCredit: Getty
Starring in Qatar has done Gvardiol no harm in raising his profile further more on the world stage.
Should he take Croatia further than the last-16, expect that price-tag to continue to rise. More

SENEGAL’S World Cup hero Kalidou Koulibaly knows a few things about life’s struggle.Born in the French commune Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, some 50 miles southeast of Nancy to African parents who migrated from Senegal, he understood the challenges faced by those in less privileged positions.
Kalidou Koulibaly has been instrumental to Senegal’s success at the World CupCredit: Getty
Koulibaly has starred for Chelsea since signing in the summerCredit: Getty
Koulibaly arrives in his Porsche to hand out coats to the homeless in Naples
That has encouraged the giant centre-back, nicknamed ‘The Wall’, to never forget his roots and give back when he can.
His acts of kindness know no bounds, as he put his hard-earned salary to use to help others.
Buying coats for the homeless
Salvatore Falco, head of media relations at Arci Mediterraneo, recently revealed he reached out to Koulibaly for his assistance.

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The charity Falco works for helps migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Naples – a subject close to the ex-Napoli star’s heart and part of his DNA.
He had already heard of Koulibaly’s incredible generosity through the local media.
One tale told how he personally handed out coats to the homeless during the winter.
Another story goes that he bumped into a stray boy in a supermarket car park and gave him a £500 note.
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While in 2019, when a 12-year-old boy from Senegal was flown to Naples for reconstructive surgery after suffering terrible burns, Koulibaly made sure he was at the hospital to see him through.
In honour of his charity work, Arci Mediterraneo saluted the local hero, along with his former team-mate Fauzi Ghulam, with the Social Impact Award.
Koulibaly wasn’t done there. Doing more than fulfilling the usual meet and greet requests, he answered questions from the group about his own experiences and what Arci Mediterraneo offers.
As well as helping migrants learn the language and what trades they can get into, it also has a football team.
After inspecting the charity’s facilities, Koulibaly’s first act was to donate training tops, balls and bags.
Better still, he visited the players to meet them on International Migrants’ Day last December. Like him, many were from Senegal and had their own dreams of football stardom.
And, at a time when he had suffered racial abuse from rival fans in Serie A, he wanted to address the group with an important message.
A rousing speech from a leader
The Athletic managed to get a transcript of a speech he delivered to the football team that day.
“I don’t speak much in public,” he said.
Koulibaly was given an award for his charity work by Arci MediterraneoCredit: Instagram
Giant defender Koulibaly gave Arci Mediterraneo’s football team a rousing speechCredit: Instagram
“I’m more of a fact-finder. I can say that you (the team) are stronger than us (professional football players) because at our level we do not experience the same problems as you.
“We have experienced racism, but not as much as you have, because you don’t have the power to make your voice heard and heard like we do.
“We can go on TV. We’re more fortunate because if we’re victims of racist violence, I’ll be on TV and it’ll be shown 10 times more, I’m well known.
“You don’t have the same strength as me. That’s why I spoke out against the discrimination you are going through.
“I will use my voice to speak for you, because if you don’t have a voice, it is my duty to speak, it is my right.
“I don’t care about myself. It hurts when I am the victim of racist abuse, of course.
“But the people who don’t have a voice, who don’t listen… they are insulted, nobody says anything about it.
“Instead tell them, ‘Come on, don’t cry about it. It could be worse.” What could be worse? It could be worse for me, true.
“But I don’t think it could get any worse for these kids. They’ve been on a much tougher journey than me and I know quite a bit about it.
“My African friends have been through the same thing, but this is a journey that none of us could have imagined.
“Their stories have to be heard to be believed. I have friends who try. I didn’t because my parents moved to France. They moved to work. It was easier for them.
“But these guys who had to run away from something or come here dreaming of a life like ours, honestly, I’m amazed.
“I admire them because they took a path that I could not have imagined.
“I was lucky to go to school. My parents gave me a good start in life. I am not from a rich family.
“It was just what I needed and I thank them for it. So I will fight for these children who did not have my vote.
“I hope the team continues to do well, I hope the team changes over time. What do I mean by change?
“I mean, some players are hoping to go on to bigger and better things than they are today. I wish them all the best in life because they are part of the community that I am a part of.”
He left on one final note. “I won’t let you out of my sight, I want to know how things are going.”
Never forgot his roots
Although he was born in France, Koulibaly roots are firmly planted in Senegal – a country he represents internationally.
Back in 2021, he celebrated his 30th birthday by donating two ambulances and medical equipment to hospitals to the African country.
Koulibaly often visits Senegal and is a hero to the people thereCredit: Instagram @kkoulibaly26
Last year Koulibaly donated this ambulance to a Senegal hospital
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport via Football Italia, Koulibaly paid for a number of items to be shipped to Senegal from the port of Naples.
Among those included two ambulances, hospital gowns, stretchers, personal protective equipment and thousands of protective masks.
It’s moments like this that have made him an inspiration for his fans.
One messaged on Twitter: “We are proud of you. I love people who never forget their origin and culture. This is how self-respect is earned.”
Another remarked: “You are a great man, a great player. Your heart is huge.”
Humble origins
Koulibaly’s selfless nature has a lot to do with his upbringing in France.
He grew up playing football and honing his skills on pitches – with stones for goalposts.
Childhood friend Mohamodou Ndiaye has happy memories of their makeshift turf in Saint-Die, an industrial town in north east France.
Koulibaly (second from right, middle row) grew up playing with stones for goalposts
Koulibaly visiting Saint-Die alongside childhood friend Ndiaye
Ndiaye told SunSport: “Kalidou and I have known each other since we were five or so.
“We always used to play football after school on concrete. If you fell over, it hurt but after a while you got used to it.
“Behind his house we created a pitch with big stones to make the goals.
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“Later Kalidou was the class representative at school. He made a request to have proper goals on the playground and we got them.”
Like a true captain, Kouliabaly has led all his life. Expect the same courageousness when Senegal take on the Three Lions on Sunday. More