The key facts
- Zayed, 7 years old, with cerebral palsy performed the kick-off in the Sharjah — Shabab Al Ahli match in front of a full stadium
- The organizers were the UAE Pro League and the Nahr Al Hayat foundation under the UAE Red Crescent
- The boy underwent three leg operations, physiotherapy and sessions with a speech therapist; the family received financial support from the foundation
A Dream on the Football Pitch
Seven-year-old Zayed Mustafa Al Fahadi, who has been receiving treatment for cerebral palsy for several years, took to the pitch before the match between Sharjah and Shabab Al Ahli and performed the symbolic kick-off in front of a full stadium. The video of the moment spread widely on social media. 'It was a strange and wonderful feeling when I kicked the ball. I felt like a professional player,' Zayed said in an interview with The National, adding that his idol is Cristiano Ronaldo. According to him, his school friends, having seen the viral clip, at first did not believe it was him.
The Treatment Journey
The boy's father, Mustafa Al Fahadi, 40, a native of Iraq who has lived in the UAE since 1995, said his son's condition was caused by a lack of oxygen during birth, which affected the area of the brain responsible for movement. The problem was discovered on an MRI when Zayed was two years old and could not walk or stand. The boy, born on 2 December 2018 — on UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) and in the Year of Zayed — was named after the country's founder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He underwent three leg operations, intensive physiotherapy and sessions with a speech therapist. The father noted that the biggest difficulty is the high cost of treatment, especially physiotherapy sessions, which the boy attends three times a week; the operations helped stabilize his condition.
The Role of the Foundation and the Family
The family received financial support through the Nahr Al Hayat foundation, which operates under the UAE Red Crescent. The foundation's director, Sohair Abid, said the organization learned about Zayed's situation through a media specialist who works with the foundation on a voluntary basis. The idea of the ceremonial kick arose at a recent meeting with the boy: when he was asked what he wanted after the operation, he answered — 'to play football.' Zayed attends a regular school in Sharjah together with his older sister: his father chose not a specialized institution, since his son's difficulties are physical rather than intellectual. According to his father, the invitation to the match became an important boost to the boy's confidence, and the players welcomed him warmly. The foundation urges families whose children need treatment and cannot afford it to call 800733.
