A Malian migrant is pursuing a greater future in Spain by taking to the rugby field

Moussa Diaby Wage is one of the thousands of migrants from Mali who are pursuing a brighter future in Europe, whether on the rugby field or on the sidewalks of the Spanish island of Tenerife.

Diaby, who was 15 years old at the time, studied Spanish, attended secondary education in the Canary Islands, and obtained Spanish citizenship after crossing the ocean in a small boat from the Mauritanian shore in January 2020.

The 20-year-old is currently intensely training as a rugby player at the CRULL Club of La Laguna University locality.

He stated to Reuters prior to the inaugural training session of the new season, “I am committed to competing for my team in order to play for a major team in Spain.”

According to Nicola Sergiampietri, the Italian coach of Diaby, the team has developed a strong connection.

“For Moussa, as for all of us, rugby is a family … everyone on the pitch comes in to fight together, regardless of language,” he indicated.

Diaby stated that a significant number of adolescents from Mali will be forced to embark on a perilous sea voyage in order to reach Europe, as they are fleeing the conflict in his country, which is currently grappling with jihadist insurgents.

Malians constitute nearly half of the migrants who are presently en route to the Canaries, as indicated by Frontex data. Spanish authorities are concerned that an additional 150,000 migrants from Africa may arrive this year.

Diaby stated that young individuals are the most likely to arrive, as their age enhances their likelihood of surviving the challenging voyage and assimilating into a new society.

“If we had work in Africa, we wouldn’t come … because I know what we suffer at sea,” according to him.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez embarked on his second visit to West Africa this year. His objective is to mitigate migration to the Canary Islands and counteract Russia’s influence in the Sahel region.

Diaby, who once aspired to become a combatant but encountered opposition from his father, currently serves as an interpreter at a migrant reception center. His previous endeavors included training as a gardener and an abortive attempt to pass an admission exam to a military academy.

The young Malian stated that the most pressing need in African countries was for Europe to provide support in the form of employment creation and youth training.