SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Ibrahime Sila was just 17 and alone when he arrived in Tijuana from the West African country of Guinea two years ago.
They accepted him into the YMCA shelter for unaccompanied immigrant minors, where he quickly endeared himself to the staff and other residents.
“He is an old soul, but his heart is full of love and he is a very devoted person,” said Avril Zaragoza, director of the shelter.
Zaragoza said Cilla also showed talent in soccer.
“Scout told us, 'Take good care of him.' He's a very good person,” she said.
He was so good that he caught the attention of several professional teams in Mexico.
However, because he was an immigrant without proper documentation, he was unable to sign up and start realizing his dream of becoming a professional soccer player.
When Shira turned 18, she left the shelter and was taken in by a family in Tijuana.
Soon, he became fluent in Spanish, and the United Nations refugee agency became involved in his case.
“We tried to build a support network for him,” said Valeria Ruiz of the Tijuana YMCA. “The United Nations got involved and gave him permission and a tryout.”
Club Necaxa sensed something in Sila and signed him three months ago, sending him to the team's home base in the Mexican city of Aguascalientes.
A recent video produced by the United Nations shows Shira walking around town chatting with vendors after eating a fresh coconut filled with water.
“I haven’t eaten since I left home,” Cilla says in perfect Spanish.
In the video, he makes his goals perfectly clear.
“My dream is to play at the professional level,” he says.
Now 19 years old, he says he wants to study while playing soccer.
“I'm preparing to take the university entrance exam,” he says.
No one knows whether Sylla will realize that dream or not, but for now he is training with a big club hoping to impress his coach.
“I was envisioning my professional debut soon.”
