Skills/Startup Training Empowerment and Practice

North Macedonia – STEP: Rrustem’s Story

Rrustem joined us three years ago when the football project first began, and he has remained one of the chief “veterans” of the Skopje Eagles. He always puts on the gloves and takes his place in goal, rarely missing the three afternoon training sessions held in the school gymnasium.

Rrustem is bigger than most of the others. Sometimes I wonder why he hasn’t left the club, as he’s now 14 and most of the others are 11 or 12. But instead of moving on, he has taken on a leadership role — showing the younger players what to do and leading by example. He can get frustrated, but he never gives up. Diving, saving, throwing, and kicking, he has become a kind of mentor to the younger ones.

Rrustem has thrived in this role, especially during the spring football clinic run by my Paraguayan football coach friend earlier this year.

From the beginning, Rrustem has been a good example. He has endured some tough, even humiliating defeats against other schools whose players train with professional clubs. Yet he has remained consistent — always on time, always committed.

Our players are with us because they cannot afford to join a club or lack the right connections. The Eagles were selected with the help of teachers from our partner school — children with the lowest grades, those struggling with their weight, or those who find it difficult to socialise. As our assistant coach explains, many of these challenges stem from their family situations. Most come from the most economically disadvantaged households in the Albanian neighbourhood — an area often referred to locally as the “ghetto of the ghetto”.

I’m grateful that Rrustem is still with us. He understands that we’re investing in his life — and the lives of his teammates. These are children who matter deeply in God’s eyes. He greets me with a firm handshake and a positive, respectful attitude.

Through the Eagles, boys like Rrustem are gaining a sense of self-worth and discovering their God-given potential. They are learning life skills such as teamwork, perseverance, discipline, self-control, and self-respect — tools that can keep them off the streets and away from drugs or violence.

When I ask Rrustem why he plays, he tells me about his dream:
“I want to play for my country… I’m playing for my family.”

Is it realistic? Will Rrustem one day represent his country? We don’t know. But what we do know is that something remarkable is happening here — something that is shaping the future of Rrustem and his 25 teammates.