Why Samuel Eto'o, Emmanuel Adebayor and Jay-Jay Okocha Took to the Pitch in Somalia

Football legends visit Somalia for a landmark match in Mogadishu, sparking hope and signaling a potential return to international games.

For the first time in over three decades, the roar of a full stadium and the rhythm of international football returned to Mogadishu, as three of Africa’s most iconic footballers — Samuel Eto’o, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Jay-Jay Okocha — graced the pitch in a historic exhibition match.

The event, part of a FIFA-backed peace initiative, was aimed at changing global perceptions about Somalia and reviving hopes of hosting international fixtures once again.

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The match, held at the recently renovated Mogadishu Stadium, brought together an international team led by the three superstars, who claimed a spirited 8-4 victory against a squad of local Somali players.

The atmosphere was electric, as hundreds of fans filled the stands, many arriving hours before kick-off waving Somali flags and chanting national slogans.

“We just pray for God to give you guys peace, so that you can build your country,” Adebayor told reporters after the match.

“The occasion was beautiful and incredible.”

Somalia, ravaged by decades of internal conflict since the fall of its central government in 1991, has struggled to maintain stability.

Its national football team has often been forced to play home games in neighbouring Djibouti due to security concerns.

The Mogadishu Stadium itself was a symbol of the nation's turmoil — heavily damaged after serving as a base for Al-Shabaab insurgents and later, African Union peacekeepers.

It was only in 2020 that the stadium was fully restored and reopened for sports.

The significance of Tuesday's event was not lost on Somalia’s sports and political leadership.

Security Minister Mohamed Ali Haga called the match “a chance to change the perception of the world towards Somalia... and show the world that Mogadishu is peaceful and can host other African matches.”

The country’s sports ministry hailed the day as “historic,” with the match seen not just as a footballing spectacle, but a symbol of resilience and peace.

Delegates from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations were in attendance, adding weight to Somalia’s growing campaign to bring back official fixtures to its soil.

“This is a great day for me — to watch a player like Eto’o who has inspired me so much — I cannot miss such a great occasion. It is like I'm seated in the Barcelona stadium,” said Mowlid Ali, a fan who travelled across the city to be part of the crowd.

For another fan, Abdirahman Dhere, the match was more than entertainment. “The game here today is not a simple football match. This match will definitely demonstrate how Somalia is reviving from the war that has ravaged the country for a long time,” he said.

With tight security in place and international attention turned to the Horn of Africa, the success of the exhibition game marked a major step forward in Somalia’s bid to rebuild its sporting identity.

The Somali Football Federation has reportedly requested that FIFA and CAF reassess the country’s security situation in hopes of returning to the international football stage.