Somali Footballer Sakariya Hassan Living His Dream With National Team
Sakariya Abdi Hassan, known as Sak, was playing non-league football in England when he received a life-changing phone call: an invitation to join Somalia’s national team.
The 23-year-old, who grew up in England after moving from the Netherlands at age seven, had played for academies including Leyton Orient, QPR and Tottenham. He currently plays for Wealdstone in the National League and also featured in the Baller League, a six-a-side competition created by YouTuber KSI.
Since his debut for the Ocean Stars, Hassan has made 10 appearances and scored twice. Somalia is currently ranked 200th in the world, the third lowest in Africa, and hasn’t won a game in six years. Despite this, Sak remains positive.
“We’re improving,” he said. “Ten years ago we were losing 5-0, 6-0. Now we’re competing better, and we’re playing more regularly.”
Somalia’s civil war has prevented the team from playing at home since 1986. Matches are hosted in Djibouti and other countries, but Sak dreams of one day playing in front of Somali fans in Mogadishu.
He also hopes the Ocean Stars can qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations within the next decade and inspire young Somali players worldwide.
“Football is massive in Somalia,” he said. “Boys and girls all grow up playing it, and the support from the Somali community in the UK and beyond is incredible.”
Local Somali fans in England see Sak as a role model and believe his success will encourage more of the diaspora to represent Somalia in the future.
For now, Hassan and the Ocean Stars are focused on World Cup qualifiers, hoping to build on small steps and turn draws into historic wins.
