Meet Georgi Minoungou: African footballer who plays with only one eye

Imagine being told you’ll never make it even before starting. That’s the beginning of the intriguing story of this African footballer.

Just two years ago, doctors told Georgi Minoungou his football career was over.

Today, the 22-year-old Ivorian winger is playing for Seattle Sounders in Major League Soccer, proving that sometimes the impossible is just another challenge to overcome.

Minoungou's story sounds like something from a film. Born in the small Ivory Coast town of Batiebly, he'd been kicking a ball around since he was two years old.

After working his way through the youth ranks, he joined Czech second-tier side MFK Vyskov in 2021 before being loaned to American club Tacoma Defiance.

Everything was going brilliantly. The speedy winger had impressed coaches with his skill on the ball and willingness to attack.

A permanent contract with Seattle Sounders' first team was on the table. He'd even scored against Swedish side Hammarby IF during a pre-season friendly in Spain.

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Losing an eye couldn't stop Georgi Minoungou

Then disaster struck.

During that 2023 training camp in Marbella, Minoungou developed what seemed like a minor eye problem. It started with some swelling and itching, but quickly got worse. Within days, his left eye was full of blood and had completely changed colour.

Reflecting on his incredible journey, Minoungou told Sportbible:

I wasn't supposed to be here. I should've retired at 20. But now, every game is like a final to me.

Doctors were baffled. One specialist admitted they hadn't seen "anything like it in 38 years." Multiple scans couldn't pinpoint the cause; whether it was a tumour, cancer, or something from childhood.

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Surgery revealed the nerves in his left eye were completely dead, leaving him effectively blind on that side.

The medical verdict was crushing:

Georgie, I don't think you'll be able to play football again.

Pushing to battle the best

But Minoungou refused to give up. He convinced doctors to give him a week to prove he could still play. Despite seeing only half the pitch, he managed to dribble past teammates who jokingly asked if he was sure he could see with just one eye.

Six months later, he was back on the pitch. He made his MLS debut against LA Galaxy in May 2024 and scored his first goal against Vancouver that November.

But before that, he felt like his career was over. He recalled one of those dark days, stating:

I'd worked so hard for that first-team contract, and now it felt like my whole life was falling apart.

Now he's living his dream, recently playing against Paris Saint-Germain and Dortmund at the Club World Cup. Looking back, he said:

I'd look at that version of me and say, 'Bro, you did great not giving up. If you had, you'd have missed one of the biggest games of your life.'

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Minoungou is only 22 and there’s more to come for him.