Former Soccer Star Kanouté Raises $1M for First Mosque in Seville Since 14th Century

"Thank you and may Allah reward all those who participated in the campaign," Kanouté tweeted on Tuesday. The former player had launched this campaign a year ago on LaunchGood, a crowdfunding platform focused on the global Muslim community.

Although the initial goal of one million dollars has been reached, the #Kanoute4Seville campaign continues, especially since the project is estimated to cost nearly 12 million euros.

At the origin of this online campaign, a fact that had somewhat marked the winner of the Spanish Cup and the UEFA Cup. "When I arrived there [Seville], it was very difficult to find a mosque. I had to ask people," Kanouté told Al Jazeera. This is how he had decided to lend a hand to the Seville Mosque Foundation (SMF).