They’re three brothers separated by multiple timezones – but shared values of family, religion and football are keeping them close.
One plays his football in Campbelltown, New South Wales. Another is currently plying his trade in the north-east of France. The youngest of the three, at home in Adelaide.
Together, brothers Al Hassan, Mohamed and Musa Toure are all living a shared dream sparked during childhood kickabouts in the backyard: to become professional footballers.
Last weekend came a remarkable moment when Musa, born in 2005, made his Isuzu UTE A-League debut, joining his two eldest brothers in achieving that dream.
Musa plays for Adelaide United, the club which launched the careers of both Al Hassan and Mohamed.
“When he found out he’d be travelling with the team we had a group call, Mohamed, Musa and I,” Al Hassan told KEEPUP.
“We were excited for him to even be travelling with the first team. We didn’t know he was going to come on, it was just very exciting for him to get that chance with the first team, as we’ve always thought he’s been good enough to play there.”
In 2021 Al Hassan moved to Campbelltown with Macarthur FC, whilst Mohamed departed for an overseas opportunity with Stade de Reims in France in mid-2022.
The eldest three of six siblings keep in touch every day thanks to a group chat – which was full of excited messages in the lead-up to Adelaide’s Round 1 trip to face Wellington Phoenix to kick off the 2022-23 season.
“It’s tough (to keep in touch),” Al Hassan continued. “We usually just message each other, and whenever we wake up just reply. It’s messages throughout the day but getting on calls is hard.
“At times we’re all awake, but it’s not really that often we’re up at the same time. We talk then sometimes, we group chat and have a conversation.”
Musa’s A-League Men debut was a cameo appearance off the bench for Carl Veart’s Adelaide.
For added meaning, his second opportunity to push for match minutes comes against Al Hassan’s Bulls at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Al Hassan says there’ll be a few texts exchanged in the build-up, but until the final whistle blows on Sunday evening, the two brothers are rivals.
“He’s been playing well, I’ve heard,” Al Hassan said. “He’s been training well, and that’s why he’s got an opportunity.
“Our dad is a big part of our football, so as long as he’s there with Musa I think he won’t lose focus. And he’s a good boy. I don’t think any of the media side of things will get in his way because we all have one goal: to be professional footballers. We’ve had that dream since we were young.
“He’s a very entertaining player, and he’s very passionate about the game. You can see it, even when we played at home or at the park he was very passionate. He’s skilful and he’s quick as well. I think he’s learnt off Mohamed and I.”
Together, the three Toure brothers represent a proud family of Liberian descent. Both Al Hassan and Mohamed were born in West-African nation Guinea after parents Mawa and Amara sought refuge from Liberia in the midst of a civil war.
The then family of four arrived in Australia in 2004. Musa was born the following year as the first of a further four children in the Toure family of eight.
Al Hassan and Musa are now part of a strong cohort of A-League Men players of African descent.
Historian Andrew Howe’s pre-season guide identified at least 20 players in initial A-League Men squads in 2022-23 with African ancestry, excluding visa players. Musa Toure took that number to 21 with his Round 1 debut:
- Kearyn Baccus (Macarthur FC)
- Adisu Bayew (Western United FC)
- Cyrus Dehmie (Brisbane Roar FC)
- Ajak Deu (Western United FC)
- Gbenga Folami (Melbourne Victory)
- Jason Geria (Melbourne Victory)
- Nestory Irankunda (Adelaide United)
- Atem Dor Jok (Central Coast Mariners)
- Garang Kuol (Central Coast Mariners)
- Charles M’Mombwa (Macarthur FC)
- Panashe Madanha (Adelaide United)
- Pacifique Niyongabire (Perth Glory)
- Alex Paulsen (Wellington Phoenix)
- Storm Roux (Central Coast Mariners)
- Ruon Tongyik (Western Sydney Wanderers FC)
- Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Western United FC)
- Al Hassan Toure (Macarthur FC)
- Adama Traore (Western Sydney Wanderers FC)
- William Wilson (Melbourne Victory)
- Kusini Yengi (Western Sydney Wanderers FC)
- Musa Toure (Adelaide United)
READ ANDREW HOWE’S 2022-23 SEASON GUIDE
Adding to the total of Australian-based players with African heritage are a number of imports descending from Congo DR (Yeni Ngbakoto, Western Sydney Wanderers), Ghana (Paul Ayongo, Central Coast Mariners), Mali (Tongo Doumbia, Western United), Nigeria (Kelechi John, Central Coast Mariners) and Tunisia (Salim Khelifi, Perth Glory)
The current crop of A-League Men stars features players born in Burundi, Congo DR, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Guinean-born Al Hassan Toure says the visibility of African talent in Australia’s premier men’s football division will give an enormous boost to a generation of young African-Australians hoping to follow a similar path.
“You have people back home who don’t get the opportunity, and if you have the opportunity you should take advantage of it,” he said. “Coming to Australia, we got the opportunity to play and were able to become role models for kids that have the same opportunity as us.
“Seeing us on TV and seeing us play well for these clubs, I hope it gives them motivation to play football. At the end of the day, without the belief there’s no chance of playing football. I think we give the kids that belief.
I’ve always said: you don’t choose to be a role model. Your actions decide if you’re a role model or not. We’re all going on the right path.
He added: “When we were growing up, we had a few African players to look up to, but not a lot. We had Awer Mabil, Bruce Kamau – people like that growing up. It’s always good to see someone from your country, or someone that looks like you or has the same story as you is playing. It gives you that motivation to say: ‘I can do it as well’. Back in the day there weren’t that many, but now there’s more, so that gives more kids that belief.
“It comes down to the mentality at the end of the day, because if you’re not seeing the results you lose hope. But now there’s more Africans in the league, I think more kids will be willing to chase that dream.”
Al Hassan and Musa Toure face off when Macarthur FC host Adelaide United at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday, October 16.
FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Supplied by Musa Toure.
MATCH DETAILS
Macarthur FC v Adelaide United
Sunday, October 16 2022
Campbelltown Stadium
Kick-off: 3.00pm AEDT
Broadcast: 10 Play & Paramount+
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