Asian Cup 2019: Mabil worth every cent of admission

Graham Arnold has taken Awer Mabil aside and told him he would buy a ticket just to watch him play.

Socceroo Awer Mabil enjoys life on an off the pitch. Picture: AAP.

Before last weekend’s Asian Cup warm-up friendly against Oman, Graham Arnold took Awer Mabil aside and told him he would buy a ticket just to watch him play.

“Because you excite me; go and excite me,” the Socceroos coach said. “I wouldn’t pay to watch many players, but I’d pay to watch you.”

Then Mabil went out and scored his second international goal.

“It’s something amazing to hear that he said that,” Mabil said.

“I’ll remind him. I’ll say it’s an expensive game.”

There’s been a lot of that ­happening to Mabil since October, when the Denmark-based winger completed his journey from Kenya’s 60,000-strong Kakuma refugee camp to Socceroos dressing room and scored a maiden international goal on debut against Kuwait.

Now the 23-year-old aims to use his on-field trickery to not only help the Socceroos defend the Asian Cup, but also to give African kids in his adopted country a role model to follow.

Even as a five-year-old, living in a cramped mud hut with his mum, brother and sister and surviving on paltry food rations, Mabil found joy in kicking a ball around with his friends.

There was something about the feeling that helped him forget it all.

As he grew older, he became more aware of the feeling and sought it out, both through playing and walking the two hours to the nearest TV to watch his beloved Manchester United.

“Football has done everything for me and has given me everything,” he said. “The best part of it is I can express myself and it gets rid of my traumas.

“When I play football, I don’t think of anything else except to have fun and enjoy, and just forget the troubles.

“When I see someone do something entertaining it makes me want to come back and enjoy the game.

“So my personality is always to enjoy — enjoy life and enjoy myself on the field. And I feel like I have that role now to make young kids or people who come and watch the game enjoy the game, and also of course a win.”

Mabil resettled in Adelaide in 2006 and played for Adelaide United before moving to Danish club FC Midtjylland three years ago. Martin Boyle’s tournament-ending injury and Mat Leckie’s absence from the group stage opens up a big opportunity for Mabil and Chris Ikonomidis.

Off the field Mabil is also making waves. He was recently recognised for his refugee work through his foundation Barefoot to Boots with the 2018 FIFPro Merit award.

And the racism he’s experienced growing up has added extra incentive to his journey.

“I keep an eye on some things that are happening within the African community, especially in Melbourne, so it was really nice to get something positive,” he said.

“A lot of people focus on the negatives which doesn’t cover everything. There’s positive and negative to everything.

“So it was really nice to open doors for African Australians, to show them that you can do something with your life and if you want your dreams you just have to work hard.”