From refugee camp to the World Cup: The Syrian players hoping to make it big

Four Syrian football players living in the Zaatari refugee camp were given a shot of their lifetime in 2018.

Brazilian NGO Viva Rio chose them out of 350 players to join the Black Pearl’s Academy in Rio de Janeiro to train to play football professionally.

At ages as young as 14, they moved to Brazil, leaving behind their families and loved ones.

Four years later, they are now in Doha, attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and hoping to find a future in professional football in the Gulf country. This is their story.