Mustafa, the little footballer: integration through sport!

Mustafa, the little footballer: integration through sport!

München, Deutschland - “Being the ball” - this applies not only in football, but also to the integration of young people with a history of migration, as the example of the nine -year -old Mustafa shows. The talented Harras Boys player proudly wears the number ten on his green and white jersey. Four years ago he came to Munich with his family from Senegal, and now he is part of the “Buntkickgut” project, which not only offers him a football team, but also a piece of home. As reports [Br24] (https://www.br.de/nachrichten/kultur/integration-am-ball-fussball-kinder-kinder-staerken-Seoll ,umxytxw), Mustafa not only fights on the field, but also goes around at school with experience of exclusion. For many children with migration history,

football is more than just a sport. In Germany, the children's population with a migration background grows continuously: 39% of the 5.3 million children have such a background. Mustafa is anything but alone. A study by the IZI at Bayerische Rundfunk from 2021 shows that 94% of the children surveyed feel perceived as "foreign" or "different". Shaid, a 16-year-old trainer from Yemen, has also recognized this perception who observes the potential of football to strengthen young players like Mustafa.

integration through sport

"Integration on the ball" is the motto of the project that Mustafa has inspired for seven months. Founded by Rüdiger Heid in 1997, it began as a range of sports in shared accommodation for asylum seekers and developed into a street football league that can now also be found in other German cities. Heid emphasizes the importance of exchange about personal biographies to arouse curiosity and promote understanding for each other. Training is not just about goals, but also about the personal stories of the players.

The commitment to integration can not only be felt on the pitch. A look at the statistics shows that around 50% of the players in the Bundesliga are foreign citizens, a share that remains constant for over two decades. In recent years there has been a change in the perception: During the European Championship 2024, 35% of soccer players with a migration background were a decline compared to the 2010 World Cup, when it was 48%. Media service integration continues that 69% of the football clubs actively support projects for the integration of migrants.

racism as a big topic

Nevertheless, there are also challenges. Statistics show that 16% of the football club members agree with racist statements, and there were 7,300 crimes in the 2023/2024 season in the first three leagues. Anti-racism projects and initiatives are therefore essential to promote harmonious coexistence on and off the square. There are always discussions about dealing with right -wing populist currents in the clubs. But the power of the community must not be underestimated, and there are constant efforts to strengthen diversity in football.

Another interesting chapter is the migrant football clubs in Germany. With 713 they combine in around 4.2% of all football clubs. In the past, these clubs have often played a key role in integration and produced many talents. The DFB has also focused on the integration of refugee people since the 2015 refugee crisis and launched numerous initiatives who also address young people like Mustafa.

football connects-this becomes particularly clear in the parasport community and among fan projects against racism. At a time when the topic of diversity in football becomes more and more relevant, it turns out that the commitment in clubs can not only achieve sporting success, but also social changes. As Rüdiger Heid put it: "It's not just about the ball, but also about the coexistence and the exchange about our stories."

In this sense, the ball for Mustafa will roll again next weekend, and with every "goal" it will cross obstacles on the way to greater self -confidence and a more colorful future.