Guinean Refugee Oulare Sidiki Takes the Field in Sevilla with Boots for the First Time

The 19th Migration World Cup kicked off in Sevilla at the José Ramón Cisneros Palacios sports complex, featuring eight men's and eight women's teams. The tournament uses football as a tool to foster integration among migrant communities.

Twenty‑nine‑year‑old Oulare Aboubacar Sidiki, who left Guinea Conakry in 2017 for religious reasons, is playing on grass and wearing boots for the first time. He recalled growing up playing barefoot on dirt fields and dreaming of becoming a professional footballer.

The event marks a fresh start for him and other refugees seeking a foothold in the sport.