(Reuters) — The Syrian refugee, tripped by a Hungarian camerawoman as he tried to flee from police on the Hungarian-Serbian border, arrived in Barcelona on Wednesday (September 16) before jumping on yet another train to Madrid, where he has been hired by Spain’s Official School for Football and Indoor Football Coaches (CENAFE).
Video footage of Osama Abdul Mohsen being tripped by cameraman Petra Laszlo as he ran through the fields with his son Zaid, aged 7, caused worldwide outrage and lead to the firing of the N1TV employee.
Mohsen coached the Syrian first division team Al-Fotuwa until the bombings of Syria’s continuing conflict forced him to flee to Turkey where he has spent a year and half.
He is expected to begin work at CENAFE in Getafe, outside Madrid, a new situation that he had only dreamed about until now.
“This is a dream come true. If I make it this will be a dream come true. I hope it happens and that I can work as a football coach in Madrid,” he told Reuters.
Mohsen’s story was published in Spanish daily El Mundo after he arrived in Germany where he met his other son Mohammed Al Ghadabe, aged 18, who emigrated before him and arrived in Europe by sea through Italy.
After the paper published the story, it came to the attention of CENAFE, El Mundo said, and the school’s Moroccan student Mohammed Labrouzi was dispatched to make contact with Mohsen in Munich.
But his wife and his daughter are still waiting in Turkey for the right time to cross the border.
“The only thing I need now is to see the rest of my family here, I hope we can all be here soon,” Mohsen said. “That is my only wish. Before working or anything, I want to gather my family because now we are all spread and I just want to see us all together again and try to live happily here. I just hope the ones missing can get here as fast as possible.”
Mohsen’s arrival happens only hours after riot police fired water cannon and tear gas at migrants demanding to be let through Hungary’s newly shut EU frontier, leaving at least 20 policemen and two children were injured, according to Hungarian security officials.
Refugees at other Balkan frontiers clambered through cornfields in search of new routes, possibly through Croatia or Romania, both of which are in the EU though not in Schengen.
Mohsen said he hoped for everyone to be as lucky as himself.
“I hope they (everyone in our situation) find a solution. I have been there and I hope they can find a way out soon. I know what they are going through and it is very very hard,” he said.
Thousands of people like Mohsen and his family are fleeing Syria’s civil war, which has now lasted for four years, forcing more than four million Syrians – a sixth of the population – to escape the conflict, the United Nations said in July.
“I hope they (my people in Syria) get enough supplies, enough food and water, and that they are not left alone. I hope the conflict ends soon,” Mohsen said.
