The narratives of the Socceroos often lead back to the grassy fields of Australia during the 1990s and 2000s, a time when a group of eager young players began to discover their love for football. With games, goalposts, and the simple joys of childhood, these players embarked on a journey filled with camaraderie and competition.
The path to international recognition in football is intricate, a pursuit that nations have heavily invested in through advanced academies and talent scouting programs. This process is referred to as the talent pathway by consultants in elite sports.
However, the story of one Socceroo diverges from the norm, tracing back to a time long before any formal path was established.
Amara and Mawa Touré, the parents of striker Mo Touré, experienced the devastating impact of civil war in Liberia that erupted in 1989. Amara recalls, “Everything went helter-skelter, and every Liberian started running for their life,”
In the midst of chaos, Amara, along with his younger brother and older sister, trekked for 18 days to reach Guinea’s border, subsisting on wild fruits and vegetables while remaining cautious of others they might encounter. He reflects, “But now when I reflect on it, it would have been even scarier if I knew the ramifications of what we were going through. Because it was life or death.”
“Football was everything for me,”
Amara spent nearly 14 years in Guinea, initially receiving assistance from UNHCR, which provided basic necessities such as food, a tent, and a mosquito net. Although he eventually moved from the refugee camp to slightly better living conditions, his circumstances remained limited.
“When I walked on to the park, I felt that is where I got to demand my respect, and that’s where I felt good. So my sanctuary was only football.” he shares. “Every parent wants one’s child to go into something that they like and they excel at,”
Amara and Mawa met when they were both 20 years old. After welcoming their first son Al Hassan, they had Mohamed, now known as Mo, before relocating to Australia on humanitarian visas. Both brothers have since represented the Socceroos.
“So when I would see them playing football and they’re entertaining people, I can’t afford not to be happy.” Amara says. “Wearing the Socceroo jersey represents freedom,”
Mo, now wearing No. 9 at the World Cup, expresses, “It was the land that gave us opportunity, that lent us a helping hand, so every time I just play, I play with freedom and I always remember how things could have been if we weren’t in Australia.”
Within the Socceroos squad, four players, including Touré, Nestory Irankunda, Awer Mabil, and Milos Degenek, have found themselves highlighted during the globally recognized refugee week, leading up to the United Nations’ world refugee day on Sunday.
They have participated in a video promoting cultural diversity for the Socceroos, and Touré’s family collaborates with the local charity Australia for UNHCR to assist displaced individuals, which includes sharing their own family’s story of hardship.
Mo acknowledges the significance of their narrative. “It’s just something that happens and for us. It’s, I wouldn’t say normal, but it’s common. We see a lot of our family members or a lot of the African community have similar stories and everybody came and migrated to Australia in a different way. So we’re just happy to share our story and then people find out how we did it.”
Mo was only seven months old when his family arrived in Australia in 2004, ultimately settling in Croydon, an inner-west suburb of Adelaide. “My early life in Australia, I thought it was good because I didn’t know better,” he reflects. “I can now see that there were times in my childhood where my parents struggled, but I was too young to really understand.”
At times, while other children in the neighborhood received gifts or treats, the Touré boys found themselves without. Mo recalls, “I just thought it was them [his parents] punishing me or them not wanting to do it,”
Transporting three young footballers was no small task, especially with Al Hassan currently playing for Sydney FC and younger brother Musa at Mo’s former club Randers in Denmark. Some years, at least one of the boys was engaged in training every day.
“But now that I’m older, I understand the struggles, and the real reason why we didn’t have all these things was because simply it was hard. Life was hard at that time.” Mo remembers. “It would be raining, and my parents would be there, freezing, waiting for us to finish training,”
Australia now appreciates their dedication. Al Hassan made his Socceroos debut last year, sharing the field with Mo in a friendly match against Venezuela. While only Mo was selected for this World Cup, the family was in Vancouver to witness his significant performance against Turkey. Amara proudly states, “When we were very young, they would take our boots off before we got in the car as they didn’t want mud in there. Oh man, the next day they [would have to] clean the car [anyway].”
