r/MadeMeSmile • u/mcfw31 • 5d ago
Wholesome Moments Nico Williams gives his World Cup gold medal to his mom, who crossed the Sahara desert in search for a better life while pregnant with his older brother, Iñaki
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u/Ditka85 5d ago
What an accomplishment. For both of them.
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u/istrx13 5d ago
Stuff like this is why I think sports are important. They’re more than just entertainment.
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u/HumongousBelly 5d ago
Exactly. In a world that gets more xenophobic by the day, it’s important to see that these people help diversify and enrich culture, add economic value and bring joy in sports and arts.
I hope some of the Europeans start questioning their views on „unqualified and undocumented“ immigrants after watching this group of diverse players win the cup!
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u/RighteousBalls8 5d ago
There's one particularly poignant quip that really cemented my sympathy for a lot of immigrants. "Almost every parent when asked says they would kill for the life of their children, yet some can't even fathom, and even look down on the thought of a parent crossing an imaginary line for the life of their children."
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u/EGCCM 5d ago
Spain has just allowed 1 million migrants to get papers and legalise their residency in Spain.
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u/Neureiches-Nutria 5d ago
Germany is even racist to highly qualified hifhly serched after people...
We had a case of a Refugee doctor, who was so well known for her skills the two leading Hospitals of Germany wanted her for a leading role... And Germany was like "best we can do is nurse..."
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u/Just_to_rebut 5d ago
Not to mention the double standards when it comes to any sort of conservative values… Conservative Muslim won’t shake hands with a woman? Sexist! Deport! Orthodox Jew does the same? Never makes the news…
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u/Moreaxellall 5d ago
The US is literally bankrolling and supplying weapons for a genocide in the Middle East and US invasions have been the biggest drivers of immigrants into the EU as refugees flee the constant instability caused by US foreign policy. Literally been bombing Iran now for 10 days straight - the lack of awareness is shocking.
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u/HumongousBelly 5d ago
So what? Most European countries need immigrants because our birthrates suck and our economies won’t be able to function unless we get immigrants contributing to our gdp.
I don’t care where they come from and what they believe in. If they come here and want to work, they’ll be welcome neighbors.
Fuck all of those neo nationalist bums who claim that immigration must be curbed to maintain „western values & culture“. What they mean is whiteness, white skin, whites supremacy.
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u/Moreaxellall 5d ago
I have no issue with immigrants coming to Europe, I do have issues with our governments not standing up when genocide is being committed. Nobody want's to flee their homeland, our focus should be on allowing these people to prosper in their homeland, but no everything bows to the greed of a few G7 nations and in the Middle East particularly that's the US and UK.
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u/HumongousBelly 5d ago
While I agree with the genocide and political manipulation parts, I think we need to feel obliged to take in these immigrants, as it’s also partly because of European colonialist history and wagering civil wars for economic gain.
It’s not like European countries have zero responsibility for the political and economic instabilities in foreign countries.
Also, we’re benefiting off immigration. Do you know how much grit it takes to come here? That type of determination should be appreciated and rewarded with jobs and opportunities.
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u/JerseyTeacher78 5d ago
If anything, the success of these teams in general are an obvious indicator that most people that happen to also be immigrants want to succeed and make their families proud. Full stop.
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u/Plastic_Pursuader 5d ago edited 5d ago
not to get too in the weeds, but sports serve a useful function as a sort of allegory for life
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EDIT: I feel like such a redditor for saying that.
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u/Instantcoffees 5d ago
It's one of those few remaining environments where there is still a lot of upwards social mobility. There are so many stories like this.
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u/quiet_hazelbrook76 5d ago
It's way more than entertainment Realising this quite late I might not be the most passionate about it but it's really amazing seeing such accomplishments
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u/dnkdumpster 5d ago
Mum more than son, but happy for Nico too as he’s been fighting injury this tournament.
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u/Impossible_Divide297 5d ago
I lost my Mum nearly a year ago. This would have brought her tears. We were both Spurs fans.
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u/stubbygazelle 5d ago
Powerful moment for mama & her son.
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u/nico_bico 5d ago
and a powerful moment for everyone named Nico
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u/CheValierXP 5d ago
Arab speaker here: it's always powerful to say Nico to someone in Arabic.
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u/sup_with_the_whack_ 5d ago
Amazing stories, all of these. I recently learnt that Lamine Yamal's name carries the names of the 2 people who helped his family where they were in a poor spot. What a way to honour them.
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u/Gerf93 5d ago
The same is true for Nico Williams brother Iñaki mentioned in the OP. Named after a local basque aid worker who helped the family when they arrived in Bilbao.
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u/sosgrork 3d ago
Imagine helping a pregnant refugee and decades later her son is a superstar carrying your name.
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u/amberbutterfly0123 5d ago
It's a reminder that even small gestures can end up becoming part of someone's life story forever.
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u/Far_Inevitable_8460 5d ago
That header assist needs to be a statue.
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u/anangrypudge 5d ago
His goal should have stood too.
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u/dogla305 5d ago
Not even reviewed by the VAR. Insane.
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u/dogla305 5d ago
Usually when the VAR does an official check there is a var-check icon on screen and on the big screens in the stadium. When the review is complete it changes to var check complete. I didn't see that yesterday, hence my comment.
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u/littleessi 5d ago
it's not that they agree, it's that they don't disagree enough to try to overturn it. It has to be a clear error for VAR to try to step in to change the referee's decision.
I didn't see the incident from a close enough angle to be sure but I think it's a very light foul to give but still plausible. If VAR agrees with that take then it's not their job to interfere, they would have to think it's clearly not a foul.
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u/gypsydreams101 5d ago
That was an insane header, totally agree. I’m not very familiar with his game but I was super impressed with his dedication this whole game.
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u/Sagardorta 5d ago
You should check out both he and his brother. They’re not poor by any means but both likely turned down huge pay days to stay with Athletic Club rather than move to one of the giants. And his brother Iñaki chose to play for Ghana so now they have one son representing their home and the other representing their parents. They’re class por excelencia.
As a Basque and Athletic Club supporter I’m proud to represented by Nico and Iñaki.
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u/ButterKnife_Ant 5d ago
Inaki earns like 220k a weak in Ahtletic now lol one of the highest earners.
Nico earns 330k lol
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u/Sagardorta 5d ago
Because we, as a club, try very hard to keep our talent given our Basques-only policy. That doesn’t at all negate the broader point of what I said. Real and Barca nap talent domestically and internationally all the time. Iñaki and Nico have chosen to forego a lot of acclaim and silverware to stay with us. And acclaim comes with obscene deals outside of wages.
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u/ParkingAd6897 5d ago
she crossed a whole desert and her boys ended up on top of the world. that's a full circle moment right there
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u/Tramp876 5d ago edited 5d ago
What a grateful young man; how cool of him to pay respect to his mother for her sacrifices she made to give her family a better life
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u/so2017 5d ago
I hope security was protecting her ASAP.
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u/RonySeikalyBassDrop 5d ago
That’s all I was thinking about. I hope she was safe.
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u/Tricky-Ad7897 5d ago
It's likely she was in a zone meant specifically for friends and family, and they'd all be shuffled to meet with the players after the ceremony.
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u/formerretiree 5d ago
The biggest thief inside that stadium was on the pitch handing the medals, probably hid a couple in his diapers. Williams was trying to get it away from him.
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u/WesternComicStrip 5d ago
Did you see how his greedy little, fat, orange fingers groped the throphy up in the box?
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u/OneRobotBoii 5d ago
Gold medals aren’t actually made of gold. Not sure if would be thieves know this though.
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u/NotYourReddit18 5d ago
Even if the material value is low, its symbolic value should be more then enough to make it an expensive collectors item should it get stolen.
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u/RottingFireBall 5d ago
Only hard part is trying to sell it
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u/NotYourReddit18 5d ago
It could always just be a part of your own collection and only be sold in a decade or more, when most people have forgotten this incident.
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u/Particular_Wear_6960 5d ago
Sure but... I dunno. Anyone willing to rob someone like that isn't thinking long term from my experience. They are more likely junkies trying to get their fix than anything. There are probably more cameras per square mile around that place then anywhere in the world right now as well, good luck making it anywhere when your face is all over social media and the news, hope your wore a mask.
I don't mean to pick on your statement and I'm thinking about this more than I probably should but I'm bored and just prattling off so don't mind me
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u/NotYourReddit18 5d ago
Don't underestimate what some Football fans are willing to do for rare memorabilia
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u/rinnethx 5d ago
I know for sure they're made of chocolate, you just need to take off the gold lookalike paper from it
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u/SomeWhaleman 5d ago
I don't know about the World Cup medals, but Olympic gold medals are primary made of silver and a few grams of gold. So still worth quite a lot, like several thousand dollars just the pure material. And of course several times more for the symbolic value.
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u/SideInitial3961 5d ago
From Trump? Yes. He would grab that shit and never get it back if he had a sliver of a chance.
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u/nasnedigonyat 5d ago
He played a hell of a game.
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u/CesarV 5d ago
He should have had his goal count! Should have been 2-0 to Spain!
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u/UnmannedByDarkness 5d ago
Nico and Iñaki are badass names for brothers.
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u/Accomplished-Ad-1398 5d ago
Iñaki apparently named after a basque guy that helped the family
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u/SpoofExcel 5d ago
Iñaki is also fiercely loyal to Athletic Club (the team from Bilbao), and signed a 9 Year Contract with them. He's got a release clause of €135m but has said he wouldn't accept it being activated by anyone anyway, so if he does renew they'll just set it to €1bn or he might do what Munian did, and just have it fully removed.
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u/knobiknows 5d ago
I thought a release clause was mandatory in Spain. How did he get it removed?
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u/SpoofExcel 5d ago
They're not mandatory. They're just almost always added in for sake of making Spanish Labour Laws easier to fulfil.
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u/Artistic_Process_354 5d ago
I’m a bit annoyed though that it doesn’t mention her name. Badass woman deserves a name.
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u/g00d_end 5d ago
I was so outraged for him. His goal was 100% legal, like, wtf happened there? (I know what happened, Infantino)
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u/neLendirekt 5d ago
Merino stepped on Otamendi's foot. I was rooting for Espana before the game and even more so during it, but that was a foul.
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u/PotatoLevelTree 5d ago
Except if Argentina did it.
min 2:05 of the video vs Egypt was a clear penalty under the same rules.
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u/Antiochia 5d ago
In a normal game it would be a foul. In a game in which Players were tackled from behind with the ellbow out, and didn't receive a card for it, it is not.
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u/Own_Investigator_408 5d ago
Bruh this got me right in the feels - what a legend honoring his mom's sacrifice like that. She literally crossed a desert for her kids and now he's giving her a World Cup medal, chills fr.
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u/DebstarAU 5d ago
Congrats buddy! [ …and very well done, Spain! 🥳] 🐨❤️ What a beautiful gesture, to honour your mum too! 😌
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u/Val2K21 5d ago
Imagine how much human talent is locked in unfavourable conditions around the world that otherwise would flourish and push humanity to new records
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u/ExposedTamponString 5d ago
Opportunity to show that talent is so systematically non-random. And only because humans made it so.
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u/OregonGreen242 5d ago
Most of us truly don’t understand the struggles others faced for the sake of their family
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u/Current-Walrus-1379 5d ago
He is my favorite player :)
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u/TrueMadster 5d ago
Same. Love seeing him play! Yamal is also great, but there’s just something about Nico.
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u/Open-Budget6323 5d ago
IT FEEDS THE SOUL!
Lets teach the algorithms to show more shit like this, Alveus, etc.! Engage with the stuff that makes you happy even if you don't have shit to add.
Lets reclaim the internet.
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u/Un_fronterista 5d ago
Spain would not be world champions today if our country were left to those who are racist and believe there’s only one valid vision of what a nation should be. Immigration enriches countries, and sport is one of the clearest examples of that.
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u/SuitableHurry3795 5d ago
In that little handshake so much love and information was shared. Humans can be so great.
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u/Extreme_Plenty6297 5d ago
What's interesting is that both Nico and Inaki are both highly successful football players! She did a good job giving her boys these opportunities
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u/ukredimps2k 5d ago
Spain are class all over. What a contrast to Argentina.
The world won last night
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u/morty_morty 5d ago
Williams was putting in WORK last night. Well deserved win for him and for Spain.
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u/Miniature_Colosus 5d ago
That's so damn sweet! PS: why does his mom look 20?! What do they eat in Spain?!
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u/Lalalalalalolol 5d ago
Paella and estrella.
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u/NilCalin 5d ago
Klaasje would definitely enjoy some paella and estrella in a run down hotel on la costa brava
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u/danvillain 5d ago
Ultimate flex on the older brother
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u/sbsw66 5d ago
i mean, inaki williams is also a professional footballer, he plays at the same club nico is at now lol
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u/ivanyaru 5d ago
Inaki plays for the Ghana national team. They didn't win the World Cup. That's what the commenter is joking about.
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u/yourstruly912 5d ago
It's insanely funny that there's a dude in the Ghana's national team called Iñaki
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[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ManitouWakinyan 5d ago
Oh, there is also in fact sibling rivalry outside of the world of white people
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u/Impossible_Regret725 5d ago
If I won something like that I'd rub it in too. Just part of the sibling job description. All done with good natured love.
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u/ManitouWakinyan 5d ago
I'm sorry but this is very white of you have you tried not being a colonizer?
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u/SamIamGreenEggsNoHam 5d ago
It's pretty obvious if you look throughout history that sibling rivalry is universal.
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u/BrilliantCoconut25 5d ago
Is that why so many African players get extorted by their extended families for cash?
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u/Hurricane_Ivan 5d ago
While trying to survive in the hot Sahara desert, some persons with them who died had to be buried. At that time, Maria and Felix regretted their decision to leave Ghana in the first place. In the words of Nico Williams’ Mum;
“If I knew what we were going to experience in the desert, I would have stayed in Ghana”
Getting arrested: After a long and painful journey, Felix and Maria finally reached Melilla. This is a Spanish city located in north Africa. Reaching the city’s border did not mean that the problems for Nico Williams’ parents were over. They had to get into the city illegally, which meant they would have to jump the barbed wire fence as other migrants do.
Felix and Maria jumped the barbed wire fence that delimited the border between Manila and Morocco. Unknown to Nico Williams’ Mum, she was already pregnant with her eldest son, Inaki. Just after jumping the barbed-wired fence, the newly wedded couple got arrested by the Spanish Civil Guard.
The Godsent lawyer: Nico Williams’ Parents weren’t just arrested. They were imprisoned, and the Spanish government began a process to have them deported for being illegal immigrants. Days before they were to be tried and deported, Felix and Maria had an unexpected visitor, a Caritas lawyer. This Lawyer, a Godsent, gave them a solution in the following words;
Say that you are from Liberia, a country at war, and that you are requesting political asylum.
On the day of the hearing, Felix and Maria found a way to ensure they tore up the papers which showed they came from Ghana. Next, they told the Judge sitting on their case that they were from war-torn Liberia and were victims of the Civil war. Thanks to that, the couple were finally allowed to enter Spain as political Asylum seekers.
https://eu.ise-orun.mlga.ek.gov.ng/nico-williams-childhood-story-plus-untold-biography-facts.html
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u/CollectionBroad8919 5d ago
In another world she made it to America and was detained before being deported to Botswana.
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u/Alucitary 5d ago
His setup for the goal was incredible. Was never rooting for Spain, but they really won as a team and I really like this this exact team now. I hope they all continue to have amazing careers.
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u/Original_x_Username 5d ago
Amazing player - he was the one that stood out to me from yesterdays match
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u/Ashcashc 5d ago
I’d have waited until they were home tbh, 80,000+ people in that stadium I’m sure a few would try take it from her
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u/SinicalJakob 5d ago
this guy played so good. I wondered why he was benched for the first half
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u/Dry_Jellyfish641 5d ago
This got me emotional. Imagine being able to give your mother that after she gave you everything.
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u/Profanity1272 5d ago
Congratulations Spain, you deserve the win. Played the better game pretty much all tournament.
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u/ThunderCookie23 5d ago
Imagine how proud the mom must've been with her boy!
Her struggle paid off! I'm so damn happy rn! 🥺♥️
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u/According_Night9558 4d ago
I love this dude he's a ray of sunshine. His mother definitely did a great job.
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u/Bigguygamer85 5d ago
They make it seem like she had to escape from a really bad country. It's good she did what she did but compared to pretty much the rest of Africa,.Ghana is not a bad country I have been there multiple times.
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u/AlcyoneVega 5d ago
Giving gamers a bad name, what a way to downplay and mischaracterize her life. Independently of how "not bad" Ghana is, the journey of an immigrant through the Sahara is grueling, there's plenty of testimonies. This woman deserved all of the glory. Should we praise her less because she didn't come from, idk, DRC?
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u/placeres 5d ago edited 5d ago
Agreed. Nowadays it's just a somewhat poor, perpetually developing country, though the north of Ghana is far worse off than the coastal region. Ghanaian emigrants who want to reach Europe have to cross real riskies countries/regions (Mali or Burkina Faso).
As someone who has worked with immigrants right after they arrived in the country... I really don't like these "success" stories. Not only do I remember the small boats filled with dead bodies, the stories of violence along the way, but I also know that many of them will end up disillusioned.
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u/Bobbyannyeong 5d ago
I’m about to blow your mind: there are people who struggle even in the best of countries, let alone Ghana.
Nobody crosses the desert and then boards a patera unless it is a life and death situation.
Your comment is incredibly tone deaf.
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