Inspired by former Argentina and Manchester City striker, Sergio Aguero, Wetton’s Amaan Mohamed, 13, has, for the past seven years, been FC Kapstadt’s top goalscorer across all formats in his age group.
The young baller excels in football, cricket and academics.
Amaan’s growth, as Zaid Omar, the president of FC Kapstadt, puts it, is thanks to a collective effort from the club and his parents, but in particular, it is due to the enthusiasm shown by the young footballer.
A father of three boys who also play for the club, Omar said Amaan has become a key player in the team’s growth. He is one of many young ballers that have a bright future ahead of them.
“He has been with the club since he was 6-years-old and has developed very well on-and-off the field. An ideal FC Kapstadt ambassador, good footballer, good academics and all round developed through club principles. FC Kapstadt’s development principles are based on club culture, discipline, loyalty and commitment. All characteristics which Amaan and most of our players have to portray,” said Omar.
Again, last season Amaan bagged the top goalscorer’s award at the FC Kapstadt end of year event, following his 26 goals. They won the majority of the junior tournaments in the city. They finished runners-up to Cape Town Spurs in the Cape Town Tygerberg Local Football Association’s under-12 league on goal-difference.
Amaan’s mother, Rushaan Mohamed said they noticed from a young age that he loved soccer and cricket but did not know his ability until he joined a football academy at the age of 5. It was the coaches at his preschool that realised his potential and encouraged him to pursue it.
“Both Amaan and his brother are passionate sportsmen and the transition between the various sports has been simple and natural. He recently completed an under-12 club cricket game where he was directly involved in eight dismissals; four were a result of his bowling and four were a result of his fielding,” she said.
A month ago, the family visited the Mecca.
“As Muslims we are encouraged to live a balanced life and we try to ensure that we are actively involved in our kids’ activities, in an attempt to ensure that we hold ourselves honest in this regard.
“This was our second trip to visit Mecca, as our previous trip included a trip to Palestine. The exciting part of this journey is that it was initiated by the boys when we returned from our previous trip. As mentioned, being a Muslim is an important aspect of our lifestyle and these journeys are an extension of our lives,” she said.
Amaan, a Sunlands Primary School pupil, said he gets ahead by revisiting his goals regularly. At this stage, it is improving his overall contribution to the team in the form of top goalscorer and 10 assists a season.
“Kapstadt have great structures and coaching and it has allowed both of our sons to develop their game and their love for the game and this is greatly encouraged by the club president, Zaid Omar. He and his team of coaches are actively involved in the development of each player,” said Mohamed.
