De Jong recommends: 'The Lion King' and 'Abdelhak Nouri, a broken dream'

The Lion King

A young lion prince is cast out of his pride by his cruel uncle, who claims he killed his father. While the uncle rules with an iron paw, the prince grows up beyond the Savannah, living by a philosophy: No worries for the rest of your days.

But when his past comes to haunt him, the young prince must decide his fate: Will he remain an outcast or face his demons and become what he needs to be?

• Year: 1994 
• Director: Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers 
• Cast: Animated film

Abdelhak Nouri - A Broken Dream

Abdelhak Nouri is widely regarded as one of the most talented footballers of his generation. It would only be a matter of time before he would make a definitive breakthrough at Ajax and also make an international reputation. On July 8, 2017, however, his life, and that of his family, changed forever, when he collapsed on the field twenty minutes before the final signal during an exhibition match between Ajax and Werden Bremen in Hippach, Austria. Not much later it becomes clear that he had a cardiac arrest with serious brain damage as a result. The news that he will never be able to play football again hits the ground, not only with his loved ones but with fans worldwide.

This book first tells the story of Abdelhak from the perspective of his family and friends. A story about the long road that the Nouri family has traveled as a migrant family. About the dream that they realized in their son's undeniable talent. A story about Abdelhak as a footballer and as a person, about the accident and its aftermath, about the bond with Ajax, about grief, hope, faith, and connection in times of adversity.