Mohamed Buya Turay, a player for Sierra Leone, was so eager to impress his new Swedish team that he skipped his own wedding in July to attend preseason practice with Malmo.
Instead, Turay was represented at his wedding ceremony in the capital by his brother, a practice that is usual in Islamic marriages, a few days after posing for photos in bridal attire in Freetown.
This is due to the fact that Malmo announced his deal on July 22, a day after Turay was supposed to be at his own wedding.
“I wasn’t there because Malmo asked me to come here earlier,” he later told Swedish newspaper Afton Bladet.
“We took the pictures in advance. So it looks like I was there but I wasn’t. My brother had to represent me at the wedding itself.”
But while Turay’s brother could cover for him on his wedding day, he certainly cannot stand in for the forward in the demands of top-level European football.
For the 27-year-old is “delighted” to be back in Sweden after joining the country’s most successful side, so allowing him to chase Europa League glory.
Playing for Malmo in the Europa League is a dream come true for him, he told BBC Sport Africa.
Turay assisted Malmo in qualifying for the Europa League after they were eliminated from the Champions League, and they are currently in Group D with Sporting Braga of Portugal, Union Berlin of Germany, and Union Saint Gilloise of Belgium.
He played for over an hour in the opening 2-0 loss at home to Braga but was not present in the 3-2 setback in Belgium, and after scoring twice against F91 Dudelange of Luxembourg in the third qualifying round, he is yet to score in the group stage.
However, it might happen as soon as Thursday night, when Malmo hosts Union Berlin.
🌟🐐🦁🇸🇱 I married my sweetheart, wife and my Best friend today!!! What an amazing human being!!! And What a blessing!!! Mrs SBT💞💍 Suad Baydoun
I can’t wait to enjoy life with you together soboti 😃🤦🏾♂️. pic.twitter.com/nEw4siV0QF
— Mohamed Buya Turay 🇸🇱 (@turay_buya) July 31, 2022
