Goalie Wins Fifa Award for Saving Life

Before now, Ghanaian goalkeeper Sumaila Abdallah virtually was unknown. Now he's a folk hero, not only in Ghana but world-wide.

On 17 December in Zurich, Sumaila lined up with Portuguese Luis Figo, Spaniard Raul Gonzalez and Briton David Beckham.

The goalie from the unfashionable local club, Dawu Youngsters, was not competing with them for the 2001 World Player of the Year award.

Rather, he was getting an award from football's world governing body for saving an opponent's life.

Together with Italian midfielder Paolo di Canio, the former under-17 youth international was named to receive the 2001 Fifa Fair Play Award.

"This award comes as a surprise and I'm proud of it," the 19-year-old told BBC Sport Online in Accra.

"It was a different feeling being in Zurich and talking to today's and yesterday's stars.

"Raul, Figo and Beckham wanted to find out why I was being honoured and what happened when I saved an opponent's life."

Fifa recommendation

During a league match against Hearts of Oak in Accra, opposing striker Charles Taylor attempted a bicycle-kick and collapsed on the pitch afterwards.

Sumaila rushed to his aid and revived the striker with a kiss of life.

"I was about to take the resultant goal-kick, when I realised that Taylor was motionless," said Sumaila.

"Immediately, I administered a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to save him before the medical team arrived."

Ironically, Taylor, a Ghanaian international, had earlier scored what was the only goal of the match.

It was Ghanaian journalist, Ibrahim Sani Diarra, that recommended Sumaila?s sportsmanship to Fifa.

Apart from his award, Sumaila also received a congratulatory message from Fifa president Joseph Blatter.