The narratives of the Socceroos extend back to grassy fields across Australia during the 1990s and 2000s, a time when a group of eager young footballers began to understand the game. Their experiences included matches, goalposts, and shared snacks like quartered oranges, alongside memories of old teammates and new boots that marked their growth season after season.
Their ascent to the international stage resembles a coveted formula that nations have invested heavily in to refine, incorporating lavish academies and meticulous talent identification systems. This journey is often referred to as the talent pathway within elite football circles.
However, to appreciate one Socceroo’s tale, we must look further back to a time devoid of any clear path.
Amara and Mawa Touré, the parents of striker Mo Touré, were mere children when conflict erupted in Liberia in 1989. “Everything went helter-skelter, and every Liberian started running for their life,” Amara recounts.
Amara, along with his younger brother and adult sister, trekked for 18 days to reach the Guinea border, subsisting on wild fruits and vegetables while evading contact with others. “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.” he reflects.
“Football was everything for me,”
Amara spent nearly 14 years in Guinea. Supported initially by UNHCR, he received basic necessities such as food, a tent, and a mosquito net. Although he transitioned from a refugee camp to slightly better living conditions, his circumstances remained challenging.
“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,”
At the age of 20, Amara met Mawa. They welcomed their first son, Al Hassan, followed by Mohamed, known as “So when I would see them playing football and they’re entertaining people, I can’t afford not to be happy.” Their family later relocated to Australia on humanitarian visas, with both brothers now representing the Socceroos.
“Wearing the Socceroo jersey represents freedom,” Amara says. “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.”
Mo, who dons the No. 9 jersey for the Socceroos at this World Cup, expresses, “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.”
The presence of four refugees in the Socceroos squad—Touré, Nestory Irankunda, Awer Mabil, and Milos Degenek—has brought attention during this year’s internationally recognized refugee week, culminating in the United Nations’ World Refugee Day on Sunday.
They have participated in a Socceroos video advocating for cultural diversity, and Touré’s family collaborates with the local charity Australia for UNHCR to assist displaced individuals, sharing their own traumatic history in the process.
“My early life in Australia, I thought it was good because I didn’t know better,”
Mo arrived in Australia when he was only seven months old in 2004, with his family settling in Adelaide’s Croydon neighborhood. “I can now see that there were times in my childhood where my parents struggled, but I was too young to really understand.” he recalls. “I just thought it was them [his parents] punishing me or them not wanting to do it,”
At times, while others in the area received gifts or treats, the Touré brothers felt left out. “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 states. “It would be raining, and my parents would be there, freezing, waiting for us to finish training,”
Transporting three young footballers was no simple task; Al Hassan currently plays for Sydney FC, while younger brother Musa is at Mo’s former club Randers in Denmark. Many weeks, at least one of the boys had games every day.
“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].” Mo recalls. “Wearing that green and gold and going there and fighting for that country, to me, is the greatest thing I can ever see them do.”
Australia now appreciates their sacrifices. Al Hassan made his Socceroos debut last year, stepping onto the field alongside Mo during a friendly against Venezuela. Although only Mo was chosen for this World Cup, the family witnessed him play a vital role against Turkey in Vancouver. “This is our country now,” Amara states. “Wearing that green and gold and going there and fighting for that country, to me, is the greatest thing I can ever see them do.”
