MABIL TELLS THE WORLD HE CARES

SOCCEROOS star Awer Mabil has a message he wants to share with the world and his rich goalscoring form is helping him deliver it.

The 23-year-old has not only caught the eye at the Asian Cup with his two goals in three games but also for his celebration.

Mabil marks each goal by placing two fingers to his mouth and covering that hand with his other.

He says it’s a message to those battling mental health issues to speak up and not suffer in silence.

“I want them to know that people do care for them and it’s all in the mind, they need to find someone to talk to,” Mabil said.

“If I can create anything for them to be aware of and for people to see, that people do suffer from this, I’m the first to put my hand up and that’s why I created that.

“It’s to basically show awareness for those people who are suffering from it.”

Mabil is no stranger to social causes.

After growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp before coming to Australia, Mabil received an award last year for his philanthropic work.

He and his brother founded a charity called Barefoot to Boots which provides football boots to kids and also offers education and healthcare outcomes for children in the camp where he was born after his parents fled from Sudan in 1994.

Mabil says his goal celebration message was a collaboration between himself and former FC Midtjylland teammate Pione Sisto in Denmark.

“He’s from Sudan also. We talk a lot and I was just sitting there and I was like, ‘I want to create something for people to be aware of, to bring peace to the mind,’” Mabil said.

“I just came up with that. From then on, ever since I scored I just did it.”

Mabil says he struggled with loneliness as he attempted to make his way as a professional footballer after moving to Denmark as a 19year-old. That experience and those of others around him has taught him the importance of speaking up and sharing problems.

“It’s easy to be isolated, but there’s people out there who care for you,” he said.