Sheka: the zig zag king of Egypt
When the world comes together once a year to celebrate football and inclusion in the Homeless World Cup there is excitement in the air, joy and magic in the players cheering for other nations, dancing with the competitors they fought to overcome earlier.
One team that exudes that spirit is Team Egypt. They can’t be missed, are heard all around the tournament with their drumming, chanting and getting the crowds dancing. One chant heard repeatedly is ‘Sheka!’ That’s the nickname of Team Egypt’s number 4, Mostafa Ismael. The Egyptian women’s team, other players and fans all shout ‘Sheka!’
“They say they all like him in the team because he's the oldest, the one that keeps bringing them together, so they all love him. They all want to support him so they chant his name,” says team manager Ibrahim Shash.
‘Sheka’ loosely translates to ‘someone that zig zags and is skilled’, which is spot on. The 34-year-old player may be the oldest, and the smallest, of his team but don’t underestimate his speed, determination and grit.
As of day six of the tournament he had scored nine goals and made 14 assists.
He was born in the Meit Okba neighbourhood of Giza. Tragically, his mother passed away when he was eleven and he had no-one to raise him. When asked how he managed on his own, he says he knows God was with him. He attended school and graduated with a business degree.
He’s worked in carpentry, textiles, car mechanics and at a buffet at a postal company which, after years of hard work, led to being promoted to their Human Resources department.
Football is a huge part of the Egyptian culture, and playing it has brought him much joy. Having a talent for the sport encouraged him to connect with NAFAS Sports and became part of the team in Oslo.
“I have to say, being here in Norway is incredible— the atmosphere is fantastic and the country is so beautiful. It's all a new experience for me, and I'm really loving every moment of it. I've been making friends from all over the world and can really feel the camaraderie everywhere I go.”
Emotions are high as he talks about the impact these interactions have had.
“People are telling me ‘you're good’ and they are hugging me. They say they want me to win. I could never have imagined. It’s beautiful.”
Founded in 2013, NAFAS originally focused on helping homeless children who were living on the street but, over the years, they have expanded their outreach programme to different areas of Cairo, and now also offer support to young people. While priority is given to those with more desperate needs, they have a ‘don’t turn anyone away’ policy.
Written By Andi Phillips, Photo’s By Anita Milas