Zoran Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor in more than 100 years, is a self-confessed Arsenal fan and a fan of former Spanish national footballer Cesc Fabregas.
Arsenal was a fundamental part of my life and identity. good preparation for becoming a social democrat
Born on October 18, 1991 in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Party and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and moved to New York with his family when he was seven years old.
We know that being openly Muslim sometimes means sacrificing the safety of being seen in the shadows.
Mamdani and his wife Rama Dowaj, a 27-year-old Syrian artist, met through the dating app Hinge.
“We know that standing up as a Muslim publicly means sacrificing the security that can sometimes be found in the shadows,” New York City’s new mayor declared at a political rally.
Keys to Zoran Mamdani’s New York mayoral campaign
The rise of Zoran Mamdani, who has been representing New York State’s 36th District since 2021, has been marked by a campaign focused on affordable housing, transportation, and welfare policies that connect with young voters and working-class neighborhoods.
“New York is a city where one in four people live in poverty, a city where half a million children go to bed hungry every night, and a city that is ultimately at risk of losing what makes it special,” Mamdani told the BBC.
Donald Trump calls Zoran Mamdani a ‘communist’, White House ridicules new mayor
The 34-year-old politician took office as mayor of New York despite public opposition from US President Donald Trump, who supports Andrew Cuomo.
President Trump even called Zoran Mamdani a “communist” and threatened to cut aid to New York City if the Muslim politician wins the election.
The White House mocked Zoran Mamdani by rewriting the New York Knicks’ iconic badge to read “Trump is your president.”
Where does New York City’s new mayor Zoran Mamdani get his passion for Arsenal and Cesc Fabregas?
Zoran Mamdani was drawn to football by a European friend when he was young and became an avid Arsenal fan.
New York City’s new mayor has no qualms about staying up late to watch a Premier League game.
This is a campaign that you can start with just 1%. If I had to describe it as a recent surprise, I would say it’s the Leicester City campaign.
Football has always been an important reference point for Zoran Mamdani, who has even compared his political resilience to Leicester City’s historic achievements, the humble team that won the Premier League in 2016.
“Every day more people are joining our campaign, and that’s a campaign that started with just 1%. If I had to describe a recent surprise, I’d say it’s the Leicester City of campaigns,” he explained.
Some of my earliest memories include Kanu, Lauren, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, and Alex Song.
In an interview with the Guardian, the media-savvy new New York mayor admitted he has been an Arsenal fan since his childhood in Uganda.
Zoran Mamdani had a picture of Wenger’s “invincible” Arsenal from the 2003-04 season posted on his fridge.
“My earliest memories are of Kanu, Lauren, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Alex Song. Arsenal is a fundamental part of my life and identity, and also of my belief that this is the year and this is the season. It’s good preparation for being a social democrat,” he said.
“My favorite player is probably Thierry Henry,” Mamdani said during the Cost of Living Classic, a regional soccer tournament he organized.
@nycfootyofficial admitted that his perfect captain would be Cesc Fabregas and acknowledged his dedication to Ronaldo Nazario (ex-Real Madrid and Barcelona).
