Zohran Kwame Mamdani was elected as the new mayor of New York City on November 4, marking a ground-breaking win for a number of underrepresented groups. It was a home run for Democratic Socialists, whose platform Mamdani has championed since starting his career for public office. It was also a win for minorities, with Mamdani becoming the city's first Muslim and Indian-Ugandan mayor.
More than anything, though, it was a sweeping victory for soccer fanatics. After all, before Mamdani even had a job in New York municipal politics, he was a staunch addict of the beautiful game.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents, Mamdani was seven when he moved to New York City, where he became a diehard Arsenal supporter and watched his team become the first to win an undefeated Premier League title in 2004. In order to make friends in his new environment, Mamdani latched onto soccer, whether it was playing in concrete jungles or grass pitches with his new neighbors or playing FIFA.
