Somalia-born football coach builds life in Belfast after perilous smuggling ordeal

Yousuf Mohammad, a Somalia-born football coach who fled violence and human-smuggling networks, has built a life in Belfast after being granted asylum in the United Kingdom. He now volunteers as a coach at Rosario FC and says having a home allows him to pursue his coaching career and dream of guiding young players.

Mohammad was a teenager when al-Shabab took over his hometown, Kismayo, and he recalls the fear of simply sitting in a coffee shop or watching a football match, because violence and suicide bombings could erupt at any moment. Football, once a source of joy, was targeted by the extremists, and people he knew were killed.

To escape, he handed over money to criminal smugglers and soon found himself under their control. The journey spanned about three months, moving through Ethiopia, Sudan and Libya before he arrived in Italy on an overcrowded dinghy. In Sudan, smugglers left his group for a month, and the travellers endured scorching days and freezing nights, sharing scarce food and contaminated water. He says that roughly half the people in his group died, and that they would just get buried by the dust because there was no energy to bury them. Smugglers kept pressing for more money, and those who could not raise funds were sometimes discarded.

From Libya’s Sabha, he travelled toward Europe, witnessing armed gangs and widespread exploitation, with reports of rape and violence as smugglers competed for control of people-smuggling routes. He says 95 people were jammed onto a 12-metre dinghy, and the vessel drifted at sea for five days after an engine failed, with no food or water for two days before being picked up by an Italian naval vessel.

Mohammad spent time in Italy and Germany before moving to Ireland and then Northern Ireland. He was granted asylum in the UK, and with settled status, he built a life, including completing a UEFA B coaching licence and taking on a voluntary role at Rosario FC along with colleagues Ashleigh Kennedy and Chris Lavery.

Those who know him at Rosario speak of his dedication and talent. On a rainy Sunday morning at Rosario’s ground on the Ormeau Road in Belfast, his colleagues describe his sessions as having a different dynamic and pushing players onto another level. Coach Ashleigh Kennedy praises Mohammad’s commitment and his ability to explain each move to the girls. For the players, he is simply Yousuf, not the former professional footballer he once was.

In Belfast, the community has given him a sense of belonging that he says would have been hard to find back in Somalia. He has written about his ordeal to help deal with trauma, and he has used that experience to fuel his coaching and mentoring of young players at Rosario FC.

The journey left him with lasting caution for others considering smuggling routes. He has repeatedly warned that the winners in these schemes are the traffickers, who do not care who dies in the middle of the ocean or who is harmed along the way.

The club’s leadership notes that Yousuf’s presence is more than just technical help. Chris Lavery, who runs the under-14 girls’ team, says Mohammad’s training is superb and that his approach has already elevated the players. He adds that Mohammad’s openness about his past makes him a trusted mentor to the kids. "He pushes the girls to another level and explains moves clearly," Lavery said. Kennedy echoed the sentiment, praising his commitment and his ability to connect with the players.

Yousuf Mohammad’s story has become a testament to resilience in a city far from his birthplace. He remains focused on his coaching path in Northern Ireland and on helping the next generation of players find opportunity and belonging through football, while continuing to share the lessons of his journey with those around him.