Ammar is a 23-year-old recent graduate student, youth activist and footballer from Brooklyn, New York, who has grown up in a community bound by football and rooted in identity.
Born to Sudanese parents in New York, Ammar was raised in a house divided by club allegiances but united through love and belief. On Fridays, Ammar leads youth sessions at his local mosque and is split between prayer, community matches, and watching games with his family on the weekend.
His father swore by Chelsea. His brother by Manchester United. His mother by Manchester City. His sister by Arsenal. Ammar chose Crystal Palace.
Inspired by the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie and cemented by Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, Ammar felt he could claim what he saw on the screen at Selhurst Park as his own. There was familiarity in the way they played: hungry, expressive, and unafraid to show who they were with every touch.
“When it comes to balancing both sides of my identity as a Sudanese American, I learned to see it as something beautiful instead of conflicting," Ammar said.
"Growing up between the fast-paced life in New York and the calm, community-centred life of Sudan taught me how to embrace both worlds.”
For Ammar, game days start early: morning prayer first, Palace second. At home on the TV or on the move with his phone, the match plays while group chats fill with banter and reaction in the background.
Each moment sparks new debates as he talks football with friends across the city. Many of them are second-generation kids like him, all of them have ties to their own club, where they each find a piece of themselves in it.
Weekends are always better with three points, but supporting Palace goes beyond results. It is loyalty without conditions, a reflection of how he lives: patient, grounded, expressive, all connected through a link between football and identity.
'Everyone's connected by the love of the game'
“When it comes to the idea of 'Black joy' and football, I see football as one of the purest forms of joy when you're out there on the pitch," Ammar said.
"It doesn't matter where you're from, everyone's connected by the love of the game. So, in that sense, what people call 'Black joy' is also the joy of unity. It's that moment where differences disappear and all that's left is passion, teamwork and love for the sport.”
Ammar’s football story is shaped by his dual roots. His first touches on the ball were during trips to Sudan, developing a playing style that has stayed with him through every stage of his journey. He grew up playing at Brooklyn’s Parade Grounds, later crafting his game alongside Italian, Russian, Ukrainian and Balkan team-mates at FA Euro. At college, he played NCAA football alongside players from every corner of the world.
“When I think about what it means to be a black New Yorker in 2025… It's more about being grateful for the experiences, perspectives and challenges that come with it," Ammar said.
"Those experiences have shaped my character and taught me lessons that helped me grow into a better person. I'm living in New York, surrounded by people from all walks of life. You learn that your value isn't tied to where you come from, but to how you treat others and how you carry yourself in this world.”
Across every team, the thread has stayed the same, different languages, different lives, but the same rhythm, signifying what New York represents: a reflection of who he is and where he comes from.
*Article produced in collaboration with football case study.