Vinícius Jr sends surprise video message to injured Sudanese boy

Real Madrid footballer Vinícius Júnior sent a surprise video message to 13-year-old Zaher, who lost both of his legs after a drone hit him in Khartoum in 2024. BBC News and AOL reported that the Brazilian player praised the boy for his courage and invited him to spend a day together at a Real Madrid match. [1][2]

Zaher was injured in Khartoum during the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. BBC News reported that when the outlet first met the boy in 2025, he expressed a dream to walk and play football once again. [1]

Viewers raised money to send the teenager for medical treatment in Cairo, which included prosthetic legs. The care involved surgery followed by months of physiotherapy. As FTMQ News reported earlier, drone strikes by the Rapid Support Forces have previously targeted infrastructure in army-controlled areas of Sudan. [1][5]

Sudan has experienced chronic instability since becoming independent in 1956. The country's historical conflicts include two civil wars fought between 1955 and 1972, and from 1983 onwards. [4]