Meet 5-year-old Ahmed Dawabsha, a young kid who has suffered more than most adults will have suffered in a lifetime. Ahmed is a Palestinian boy saw his parents and baby brother perish in a firebomb that his home in the West Bank.
The attack, reportedly perpetrated by Jewish extremists, took place in July last year and left severe burns to his fragile body. Two suspects have already been charged with murder but it does not change the fact that his parents, Saad and Riham Dawabsha, and his 18-month-old brother, Ali, are no more.
Real Madrid heard about little Ahmed’s predicament and decided to give him a day he would never forget. They bought him air tickets to Spain and on Thursday Ahmed was invited to the Santiago Bernabeu where he met a few of the players, witnessed a training session and also received an autographed ball.
Wearing a personalised all-white kit of the capital club with the number 7, Ahmed met the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Marcelo before he was shown around the club, especially the dressing room. The excitement Ahmed goes through clearly comes to the fore and he even points out Ronaldo’s locker.
Finally, he lived the dream of millions of football fans around the world – having a run out on the hallowed turf of the Bernabeu. As he makes his way out of the tunnel and sees the lush green outfield, his face transforms into a beaming smile.
“There is an unknown soldier in this initiative and that is Zinedine Zidane, who we warmly thank,” said Palestinian FA president Jibril Rajoub.
Zidane had reportedly done all he could to bring the boy to Madrid and make his life just that much more special after the horrific incident had scarred him for life.
