FIFA World Cup 2022: From being a refugee to playing World Cup for France; Eduardo Camavinga's story will inspire all

Eduardo Camavinga was born in Miconje, a small community in a refugee camp in Angola in 2003, fast-track 19 years, now he will make his FIFA World Cup 2022 debut for France after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid last season.

Camavinga's childhood wasn't easy. He was the third of six siblings, and his mother tried to get him to commit himself to judo. After spending a lot of time at home destroying everything in sight, though, his father Celestino took him to play football at Drapeau Fougeres, a modest club that will now receive a slice of his move to Real Madrid.

"I didn't know anything," Camavinga says now. "My mother took me and signed me up. I remember taking the ball and dribbling around."

At seven, Camavinga started kicking a ball for the first time. From then, he would always play above his age group. Rennes were impressed and invited him to take part in a summer tournament, and it was there that he caught the eye, with Julian Stephan watching on.

A fire that changed his life:

In 2013 Camavinga was only 11, but things were about to fall apart. His signing at Rennes was almost over the line, but his house burned down. Through a charity, his family received the necessities.

"They lost everything," said Nicolas Martinais, the man who trained him in his early days. "That house was a sea of tears."

"The day after, I had to go to training and football helped me to relax," Camavinga himself remembered. "It was a way to escape."

Looking back at his childhood in a 2020 interview with Ouest France, Camavinga remembered words from his father from that time.

"Don't worry, you're going to be a great footballer and will rebuild this house," the player's father said.

"It's true that he told me that," Camavinga said. "I was the family's hope. Suddenly, I was motivated. My parents were already happy, but I knew I could make them even happier."

Resilience and an ability to overcome adversity:

Camavinga hasn't forgotten that morning.

"We had been at that house, which my parents had built, for a less than a year," Camavinga said.

"I remember the fire as if it were yesterday. I was at school and saw the firefighters passing out of the window. At the end of the class the teachers came to me and my little sister and explained what had happened. My dad came to get us and took us there. Everything was burned, everything was destroyed."

Eduardo Camavinga: From the rise to Real Madrid:

Now, at just 18, Camavinga will wear Real Madrid's shirt.

Camavinga, who completed a transfer to the Spanish capital from Rennes last year, was born in a refugee camp in Angola before moving to France with his family at the age of two.

He has since represented France at senior level, becoming the youngest player to do so in over 100 years in the process.

The 19-year-old is eager to use his platform to amplify a message of solidarity with refugees across the world, and is backing the UNHCR's Football4Refugees appeal.

Camavinga's message of solidarity for refugees:

Speaking ahead of Saturday's final in Paris, he said: "I was born in a refugee camp in Angola after my family fled war. My parents brought me to a new life in France and football has brought me to the Champions League final.

"I'm grateful to play and proud to do so as a former refugee. I hope the millions of refugees around the world who also love football know that we stand together."

Camavinga has made 39 appearances for Los Blancos throughout his debut season and came on from the bench in their dramatic late comeback against Manchester City in the semi-final.

His mature performances in Carlo Ancelotti's midfield have seen him tipped to be a long-term successor to the ageing duo of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.

From refugee camp to the FIFA World Cup 2022:

Eduardo Camavinga is part of the 25-man roster France national coach Didier Deschamps announced here Wednesday for World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

The midfielder, who turns 20 on Thursday, is one of several youngsters tapped by Deschamps to defend the title Les Bleus won four years ago in Russia.

Camavinga is joined on the roster by Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, 22; Arsenal defender William Saliba, 21; and AS Monaco's Youssouf Fofana, 23.

"No, it made it a beautiful moment ," he told RMC. "Honestly I hadn't seen the news. It's a big, big honour. A childhood dream. To participate in it is crazy!" said Camavinga.

Camavinga started France's last competitive match before the World Cup - a 2-0 loss to Denmark - and has made 19 appearances for Real Madrid this campaign. So, it would have been absolutely stunning for him not to make the cut, and he'll be relieved that he's going to Qatar.

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