Sport
Saadiq Abdikadir Mohamed
Saadiq Abdikadir Mohamed (born 15 January 1996) is a Somali footballer born in Nakuru, Kenya, who played for Banadir in Somalia and AFC Leopards in Kenya. After death threats from al-Shabaab over a post-match interview calling for peace, he moved to the United States, played college football at Saint Louis and Bradley, and was granted asylum in 2019.
Saadiq Abdikadir MohamedSaadiq Mohamed
- Lived
- 1996-01-15 to today
- Known as one of
- Sport
- Places
- Muqdisho and Banaadir
- Era
- Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012; Who holds power, 2012 to now
- Sources
- 1 sources
Who is he?
Saadiq Abdikadir Mohamed is a Somali footballer, born in Nakuru, Kenya, on 15 January 1996 to a Somali mother (Wikipedia, Saadiq Abdikadir Mohamed). His father died when he was young, and he grew up in both Kenya and Somalia, playing for Banadir in Somalia and AFC Leopards in Kenya (same source).
Threats in Somalia
Wikipedia says he was among many footballers targeted by al-Shabaab for playing football (Wikipedia). After a youth championship qualifying win over Sudan, he gave an interview that appeared to question al-Shabaab and called for peace, and received many death threats (same source). Two months earlier a teammate had been killed after staying behind with him for extra training (same source).
Kenya and the United States
Back in Kenya he was arrested several times without charge, which Wikipedia says was to extract bribes from his family, and his Leopards contract was ended (Wikipedia). He then went to the United States, trained with the FC Dallas academy, and joined Saint Louis University, where he made the A-10 All-Rookie team (same source). He later moved to Bradley University, was granted asylum in 2019 and graduated with honours in 2020 (same source).
Men in the Arena
J. R. Biersmith's documentary Men in the Arena (2017) follows him and fellow Somali footballer Sa'ad Hussein (Wikipedia).
In short
A footballer who left Somalia after al-Shabaab threats and rebuilt his career in US college football.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Saadiq Abdikadir Mohamed · en.wikipedia.org
Saadiq Abdikadir MohamedSaadiq Mohamed
- Lived
- 1996-01-15 to today
- Known as one of
- Sport
- Places
- Muqdisho and Banaadir
- Era
- Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012; Who holds power, 2012 to now
- Sources
- 1 sources
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Where this matters
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
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