Share

Tsunami survivor signs for Sporting Lisbon

Lisbon - An Indonesian teenager who was found alive wearing a Portugal shirt with the name of Portugal legend Rui Costa on the back after the devastating tsunami of December 2004 has signed for Sporting Lisbon.

Martunis, 17, will join the Sporting academy that reared the talents of his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, at the start of the last decade.

"Martunis is the new recruit for the Sporting academy, where he will live, study and grow as a man and footballer," the club said at an event in Lisbon on Wednesday evening.

"I am very pleased to be at Sporting, who have granted me my dream," said Martunis.

Martunis was found in the region of Aceh, in the north of the island of Sumatra, three weeks after the tsunami that killed more than 220,000 along the coasts of countries bordering the Indian Ocean.

In 2005, the Portuguese Football Federation paid to bring him to Portgual to allow him to meet Ronaldo, the native of the island of Madeira who joined the Sporting academy as a 12-year-old.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE