The Montreal Impact representative for the MLS WORKS’ Community MVP contest is Djamel Zidani, from Ahuntsic-Cartierville! You can vote for him right now by clicking here.
Djamel is a young man who really wants to give something back to his community. Raised in a heterogeneous and multicultural neighbourhood, he spent his childhood days growing up and playing in parks with his friends from different nationalities. Djamel has learned to play soccer in good company and became a good player, competing in the Ligue de soccer élite du Québec, the Première ligue de soccer du Québec, and the Réseau de sport étudiant du Québec, with UQAM.
It is through soccer that Djamel has chosen to give his time to his community. He coached youth teams in Ahuntsic and at Collège de Montréal, and, most of all, he took part to the JMG Soccer Challenge every Sunday of the summer, and to the Jeux de la Rue (Street Games), organized by RAP Youth; he was in fact a liaison officer for the non-profit organization.
The Jeux de la Rue aim to offer young people between the ages of 12 and 24 the opportunity to take part in friendly sporting competitions, according to their needs and interests, while paying special attention to the most marginalized, those coming from cultural communities and coming from underprivileged neighbourhoods.
Djamel has also held a seat on the Ahuntsic-Cartierville youth council. A true leader in his community, he always thinks of others before himself. Soccer is the vessel of his outstanding contribution.
As a finalist of the contest, Djamel won a trip to attend the 2017 MLS AT&T All-Star Game in Chicago, where the top players from around the league will play against Real Madrid, as well as $1,000 going toward a charity of his choice and a pair of tickets for an Impact home game. Congratulations to Djamel and a heartfelt thank you to all volunteers involved in soccer in Quebec!
