Earthquake Survivor Abderrahim Ouhida Honoured with Real Madrid Kick-Off

Sixteen-year-old Moroccan earthquake survivor Abderrahim Ouhida is honoured with an honorary kick-off at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (image source)

Sixteen-year-old Abderrahim Ouhida, who lost his parents, two siblings, and grandfather during Morocco’s 2023 Al Haouz earthquake, was honoured with an honorary kick-off at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on 20 September 2025 after a viral video of him wearing a Real Madrid shirt captured global attention. The Spanish giants flew Ouhida to Madrid, where he donned Kylian Mbappé’s No. 10 jersey for a pre-match ceremony ahead of the La Liga clash with Espanyol.

Real Madrid’s President, Florentino Pérez, presented Ouhida with a club crest plaque in the presidential box and escorted him onto the pitch. “We wanted to celebrate Abderrahim’s resilience and share a moment of hope with all our fans,” Pérez said during the opening ceremony. Former Real Madrid star and club ambassador Raúl González added, “This honour shows that football can heal wounds.”

After the kick-off, Ouhida toured Real Madrid City, watched the Champions League match against Olympique de Marseille from the dugout, and met first-team players. “I felt like I was in a dream,” he told local media. “Losing my family was the worst day of my life, but today I felt their presence with every fan’s cheer.”

Ouhida’s story first touched millions when he was filmed in 2023 weeping in a Real Madrid jersey amidst the quake’s rubble in Tamraght. Club officials tracked the clip and began coordinating support through the Real Madrid Foundation, which funds social and disaster-relief programmes worldwide. Sports psychologist Dr. Nuria Pérez of the University of Madrid notes that high-profile gestures can boost community morale. “Inviting survivors like Abderrahim fosters solidarity and highlights sport’s universal language of resilience,” she said.

Local eyewitness and fan Javier Moreno captured Ouhida’s first steps on the Bernabéu turf. “He was nervous, but the crowd lifted him,” Moreno said. “Every time he touched the ball, the stadium erupted.”

Morocco’s 6.8-magnitude quake on 8 September 2023 devastated Al Haouz province, killing over 3,000 people and displacing tens of thousands. Reconstruction efforts have faced funding delays, leaving many survivors waiting for housing and psychological support. Real Madrid has a history of social outreach. In 2016, the club hosted young refugees for the Champions League final in Milan, and in 2021 invited a Ukrainian orphan to meet players amid conflict in Eastern Europe. The Real Madrid Foundation’s “Football for All” programme operates in 80 countries, using sport to promote education and inclusion.

Ouhida will remain in Madrid through 25 September, attending youth training sessions at Valdebebas and a gala dinner hosted by the foundation. Real Madrid plans to launch a fund in his name to aid Al Haouz survivors awaiting housing reconstruction. Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales hinted at similar gestures during the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru, potentially inviting more young survivors.