New York Mayor reveals why he ‘cried in public’ over Ghana football incident

New York Mayor-elect Zohran Kwame Mamdani has revealed that he broke down in tears during one of football’s most dramatic moments: Luis Suarez’s infamous handball against Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

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The incident denied the Black Stars a historic place in the semifinals.The quarter-final clash in South Africa was tied 1-1 as the match entered the 120th minute of extra time.

Ghana, the last African team remaining in the first World Cup hosted on the continent, launched a final attack.

In a frantic scramble in front of the goal, Dominic Adiyiah’s header was destined for the net. In a split-second decision, Uruguay’s Suarez blocked the ball with his hands on the line—an action typically reserved for goalkeepers.

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The subsequent penalty was missed by Asamoah Gyan, and Ghana eventually lost in the tense shootout, falling just short of history.Mamdani, who watched the match live at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium, shared his emotional reaction on The Adams Friedland Show:

I was at the Ghana-Uruguay game. That's where I cried in public. Yeah, Luis Suarez [sighed]. It was the closest...

Host Adams Friedland expressed disbelief:

Asamoah Gyan. Dude, I can't… The mayor caring about soccer is… The mayor caring about Arsenal is like Wakanda for me.

Mamdani has a personal connection to Ghana. Born in Uganda to Indian parents, he was given the middle name Kwame in honor of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. He lived in Kampala until age five before moving to Cape Town, South Africa, where his father led African studies at the University of Cape Town.

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The family later settled in New York City when Mamdani was seven.On November 4, 2025, Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York, marking a milestone in his own remarkable journey from Africa to America’s largest city.