Gazprom Football for Friendship provides help and support for inspiration teenager after life changing illness

For all the hopes and dreams that people have in their lives things do not always turn out as planned, and in some cases can take quite a dramatic change in course. But whatever happens it is possible to reset your goals and still enjoy success in life.

Take 14-year-old Dominic Kramberger from Sweden, a promising young footballer who loved the game and played it from a very young age. 

He was a promising player with big ambitions of progressing in the game and then something happened that no one could foresee. During a game Dominic dislocated his leg, it hurt for a long time, but he kept on training, undergoing rehabilitation of the injury to try and strengthen the ankle joint. 

There were no results of the rehabilitation in three months, and Dominic’s family decided to contact a specialist. After an examination, in the middle of July 2020, Dominic was told he had cancer. It was an aggressive form of Ewing's sarcoma and Dominic went through a difficult path of treatment. 

And in January 2021, Dominic had a lower leg amputation because of the disease. 

Dominic went through several surgeries and a difficult course of the treatment.

In the middle of April 2021, he got a lower leg prosthesis. At the moment, he is still recovering and has not played football for a while. 

Such a challenge hasn’t deprived him of the enthusiasm and love for football. And, of course, he’s still planning to become a star in the football world, but this time as a goalkeeper.

During this whole difficult time in Dominic’s life he has remained positive and has received huge support from his friends in Sweden as well as the Gazprom Football for Friendship programme.

So much so that all Swedish participants agreed that Dominic will take their place in the programme, if they qualify. And some of his school friends joined the programme with the same aim.

And Dominic’s positive attitude shines through, even in this incredibly difficult time.

He said: “I have managed because I have always been positive and I never give up. Having had the opportunity to attend F4F has been inspiring and fun and helped me keep my spirits up when I have not felt so good. I have also met many new amazing people and learned about different cultures. The various activities for Young Journalists were instructive and something I will carry with me as an experience.”

As well as the support of his friends and family, Dominic became part of the Gazprom Football for Friendship programme through this difficult time in his life. F4F has helped present opportunities that he did not previously know existed and allowed him to excel in other areas away from the football pitch. As part of the Young Journalist programme, Dominic had the chance to take part in an interview with F4F Ambassador and Brazil World Cup winner Roberto Carlos. 

Dominic added: “Before I joined the F4F project, I had no idea that the journalistic force was so fun and rewarding. This has definitely opened up a new door that I will take with me in my future career choice.  I think F4F is a fantastic programme to unite all the children of the world, where football is at the center and the creation of new friends and understanding of different cultures go hand in hand.”

Dominic’s positive attitude in the face of adversity is something that everyone can learn from, when asked about what he has learned from the last year since his injury and diagnosis, he said: “What I have learned is that you should never give up, always believe in yourself, be positive and see solutions instead of problems. With the right attitude and will, you reach your set goals. My dream is to go to Liverpool which is my favorite team and to meet Allison Becker to see how he trains and plays. I decided to participate in the Football for Friendship programme because this is a great chance to win different prizes and meet new friends from all around the world. Of course, the role of the football player appeals to me the most as this is what I love.”

To find out more, go to the Gazprom Football for Friendship website.