In October of 2019, the Liverpool soccer player and international superstar Sadio Man was seen
walking around airports and soccer fields with a completely cracked iPhone. As soon as the photos
made their way online, fans across social media platforms began mocking and making fun of the rich
soccer player. Tweet after tweet, the public couldn't believe their eyes! A famous athlete
was making around $200,000 a week, yet he held on to an old iPhone with a broken screen and a
cracked case. But why? In this video, we will go over his story and why everyone who made fun of
him immediately regretted it. This is a truly inspiring story, the story of Sadio Man .
Growing up, most kids only had a handful of worries on their minds, like what video game to
play after school or which TV show to watch during dinner. But for young Sadio Man , his childhood
consisted of daily panic about whether or not his family will have anything food on the table. From
extreme poverty to family hardships and trauma, Sadio would wake up thankful just to be alive.
That is why, even after being publicly mocked for having a broken old phone, soccer millionaire
Sadio Man showed the world what truly matters in life in the most shocking way possible.
Waking up in a small village of Bambali, deep in the south of Senegal, 7-year-old Sadio never knew
if there was life beyond farming. Raised in a very financially tough environment, the now Liverpool
soccer player only had two thoughts on his mind: how to contribute to his family and how to play
soccer without his father knowing about it. You see, Sadio may be a world-renowned soccer player
now, but in the late 1990s in Bambali, he was just a kid whose father had forbidden him to go
near a soccer ball. As shared by Man : "I was born in a small town in Senegal
called Bambali. I was considered the best player in town, but no one in my family wanted
me to be a footballer. And I was totally convinced that I could be one when I left.
The only thing that worried me was how." But how did Sadio manage to secretly practice
soccer if he knew of the consequences that would follow? Even though Sadio's parents
were very against the soccer player pursuing his life's dream, everything changed in 2002. Bambali
was left stunned and in awe when they witnessed the Senegal team make it to the 2002 World Cup
championship held in Japan and South Korea. No one could have imagined the Senegal team
beating France and putting their country's name on the international soccer map.
This event not only shocked the citizens of Senegal, but it also inspired Sadio to
let go of his fears and finally go after the one thing he loved the most - soccer. Man recalls:
"It was after that World Cup that I decided to be better and better. But my family had other plans
for me. It was only when everything in my life revolved around football that I began to convince
them to let me go to Dakar, the capital of my country. My parents never had money to send me to
school, so that was never an option for me." Heartbroken and crushed, Sadio still wouldn't
give up on his passion. And that's when he realized there was only one way he could
continue on his soccer journey. Without a penny in his pocket,
Sadio left his home at 15 and began training and playing ball with his friends. He didn't
have expert coaches or professional trainers, he just had his soccer ball, an open court,
and a couple of friends to play with! "I saw boys playing, and I joined their
games. I went to the court every day when I grew up, especially when the national team
played. I wanted to see my heroes and imagine myself as being one of them.
I only thought about playing in the Premier League as a little kid, which I watched on television.
That was my biggest dream," - said the player. Thanks to a real-life miracle, that is exactly
how the Bambali native got discovered! Like a true Hollywood movie come to life,
Sadio was just showcasing his talents on the court when a very important person noticed his skills.
A delegation from France was visiting Dakar to recruit a fresh new team. Knowing his parents
would never allow him to go, Sadio secretly auditioned in front of the head coaches.
Sadly, it wasn't his talent or skills that first caught everyone's eye - it
was Sadio's poverty. But how exactly? As I mentioned earlier, Sadio's family barely
had the money for food, and they could never afford the clothes other kids were wearing.
Instead of soccer shoes and sports shorts, Sadio showed up at the important audition
with torn boots and an old pair of shorts. Kids and talent scouts laughed when they
saw Man , but the cruel judgment didn't stop the talented player from doing what he did best.
It was then and there that his life changed forever!
Soccer coach Olivier Perrin immediately saw Sadio's talent, despite struggling to play
in boots and rough shorts. He pointed to Sadio, called him out from the crowd, and yelled:
"You stay! You're going to play on my team!" Soon after, Sadio became one of the most popular
and sought-after players in soccer. He joined the Generation Foot academy in his late teens,
which gave him the spotlight he needed for success. After scoring 131 goals in 90 matches,
the entire planet was introduced to Man 's jaw-dropping talent.
And here is where Sadio's story becomes shocking to most.
He joined the French Metz team in 2011, and by 2014 he had already signed a 4 million contract.
Yes - 4 million! Not even in his wildest dreams could Sadio imagine becoming a millionaire at just
22. After all - he was a poor kid with a rough background whose daily thoughts were having food
on the table and becoming a soccer star. Year after year, his salary and talent grew bigger
and bigger. 4 million turned into 20 million, which turned into a whopping 36 million!
But the story just gets better. If Sadio is making millions,
why was he seen walking around with a broken and old iPhone? With so much money to his name,
can't Sadio just easily snap his fingers and get everything he wants? The answer is yes - he
absolutely can, but he refuses to do so. When the Liverpool player was seen walking around
with a cracked iPhone, people worldwide began mocking and making fun of him.
Bullying comments were all over social media attacking the player for looking "poor"
and not buying a new phone. The reasons behind this go beyond what you might expect.
Even though Sadio has enough money to buy thousands and thousands of new iPhones,
he kept his cracked iPhone for one simple reason. He discreetly embarrassed greedy fans and those
who only chased materialism in life with a few simple words. Sadio candidly expressed:
"Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches, and two private jets? What would
that do for the world? I starved, worked in the fields, played barefoot, and didn't go to school.
Now I can help people. I prefer to build schools and give poor people food or clothing. I have
built schools and a stadium; we provide clothes, shoes, and food for people in extreme poverty.
In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all the people from a very poor Senegalese region
to contribute to their family economy. I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips,
or planes. I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me."
Hearing Sadio's life story and his difficult journey to success, soccer fans of the world
realized his talents go beyond passing the ball on the field. Sadio's most precious gift - is his
generosity and modesty. To this day, Sadio Man is a true hero to his home country of Senegal, where
he continues to spread love and positivity. Man is reminded of his roots and where he came
from every day. He practices alongside professional athletes knowing of the
hardships he had to face. As we've seen, 5-star hotels and late-night parties don't matter to the
Bambali-native. What matters most to Sadio is the fact that he accomplished... the impossible.