Gambia had never qualified for the Afcon in their history but they play their first ever Afcon match today
They have 20-year-old Embraima Darboe of AS Roma.
In 2016, Darboe as a 14 year old boy and without the consent of his family, joined a bus full of other Gambians going to the Libyan desert. He was escaping the hardship in the country. They walked to Libya and then joined a boat to cross the Mediterranean to Italy.
He used to play football in his neighbourhood like many young Gambians but had never played for a club in Gambia by then.
He got to the Island of Sicily and put in a refugee camp. In one of the matches at the camp, a football fanatic saw his skills and invited his friend agent to see him.
By 2021, he had made his debut for giants AS Roma in Seria A.
Today, he will make history representing his country as they make their Afcon debut.
A risky journey through the desert, to becoming a refugee and now a National star.
- Saddick Adams