{
  "id": 19833592,
  "title": "Seven-year-old boy with cerebral palsy fulfils football dream at Sharjah match",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/seven-year-old-boy-with-cerebral-palsy-fulfils-football-dream-at-19833592",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-13T16:11:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/11/13/seven-year-old-boy-with-cerebral-palsy-fulfils-football-dream-at-sharjah-match/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Zayed Mustafa Al Fahadi, a seven-year-old boy living with cerebral palsy, fulfilled a lifelong dream by kicking off a football match in Sharjah. The moment, which took place in front of a packed stadium, was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media. Zayed, who has undergone multiple surgeries and intensive therapy, expressed joy at feeling like a professional player. His father, Mustafa Al Fahadi, 40, who moved to the UAE from Iraq in 1995, explained that cerebral palsy resulted from a lack of oxygen during birth, affecting his son's movement. Zayed was born on UAE National Day, December 2, 2018, and named after the country's founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The UAE Pro League, in collaboration with the Nahr Al Hayat Fund affiliated with the Emirates Red Crescent, arranged the ceremonial kick-off as part of its humanitarian efforts. The fund's director, Soher Abid, stated that Zayed's request to play football after his operation inspired the idea. The support from the fund has been crucial for Zayed's family, helping them manage the high costs of treatment and rehabilitation. Zayed continues to attend a mainstream school with his older sister, maintaining a sociable, funny, and energetic personality.",
  "summary": "After years of treatment for cerebral palsy , Zayed Mustafa Al Fahadi, seven, got the chance to step on to a football pitch in the UAE and experience a moment he had long dreamt of. In front of a packed stadium, a beaming Zayed walked on to the pitch alongside the referees and kicked off the match between Sharjah and Shabab Al Ahli on Saturday. A video of the moment was widely shared on social…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}