Real Madrid reaches out to Moroccan fan who lost family during deadly earthquake

Spanish football club Real Madrid has reached out to aid a Moroccan teenager whose interview with Al Arabiya wearing the club’s jersey triggered outpouring support after he lost five of his family members during last week’s deadly earthquake.

In an interview with Al Arabiya on Tuesday, the teenager, Abdul Rahim Awhida, appeared wearing the club’s jersey and held back his tears as he explained how his father, mother, two brothers and grandfather, were killed in the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday.

In the emotional interview, Awhida, who said he will now live with his aunt, said he wishes to fulfill his father’s dream of finishing his education to become a teacher or a doctor in the future.

For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

“I just want to finish my studies,” the 14-year-old said.

The video, which moved people in Spain, drove Real Madrid to try to locate him. The club reached out to Al Arabiya to get his uncle’s contact number to move the teenager to Spain.

After Al Arabiya broke the news to Awhida in a second interview, the teenager said he couldn’t believe the news that Real Madrid, his favorite football club, wants to help him, and said he is ready to relocate to Spain.

“Thank God… This made me [so] happy,” he said, adding that in addition to playing football, he will fulfill his father’s dream of finishing his education.
The 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco last week killed more than 2,900 people, most of them in remote villages of the High Atlas Mountains.

Read more:

Macron says ‘no reason’ for controversy on French Morocco earthquake aid

UN says most of the thousands of deaths in Libya’s flood could’ve been avoided

MBS offers condolences in phone call with Morocco’s king after devastating earthquake