Mo Touré’s Family Refugee Journey: The Story Behind Australia’s World Cup No 9
Socceroos striker Mo Touré has reflected on his family’s harrowing journey from war-torn Liberia to Australia, explaining how that history shapes the way he approaches every match at the World Cup 2026 hub.
According to The Guardian, Touré’s father Amara was a child when Liberia’s civil war erupted in 1989. He walked for 18 days to reach the border with Guinea, surviving on wild fruit and vegetables. Amara then spent almost 14 years in a Guinean refugee camp, supported initially by the UNHCR with basic essentials. Despite those conditions, football became central to his wellbeing. “Football was everything for me,” he told The Guardian, describing the pitch as the one place where he felt a sense of dignity.
Amara and his wife Mawa eventually secured humanitarian visas to Australia, arriving in 2004 with their infant son Mo — then just seven months old — and older brother Al Hassan. The family settled in Croydon, a suburb in Adelaide’s inner-west. Mo has since admitted that as a child he did not fully grasp the financial hardships his parents faced. Now older, he says he understands that the struggles were simply a product of a very difficult time in the family’s life.
The sacrifices extended to long hours on cold, rainy touchlines as Amara and Mawa ferried their sons between training sessions and matches. All three Touré brothers have gone on to professional careers: Al Hassan plays for Sydney FC, Musa is at Randers in Denmark, and Mo is representing Australia on the biggest stage of all.
Wearing the No 9 shirt this tournament, Mo Touré says the Socceroos jersey carries deep personal meaning. “Wearing the Socceroo jersey represents freedom,” he said. “It was the land that gave us opportunity, that lent us a helping hand.”
Touré is one of four players in the Australian squad with refugee backgrounds, alongside Nestory Irankunda, Awer Mabil and Milos Degenek. Their stories have drawn wider attention during UN Refugee Week, which culminates in World Refugee Day on Sunday. The Touré family are also working with charity Australia for UNHCR to support displaced people.
Mo says sharing the story feels natural given how common similar journeys are within the African community in Australia. You can follow Australia’s progress and check the live standings as the Socceroos continue their campaign.