How a talented footballer became world’s most wanted man, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, one of the world's most wanted jihadist leaders, was once simply considered his mosque's best football player

The only time the polite, bespectacled student shone was on the football field, playing for the team from the local mosque.

"He was the Messi of our team," said Abu Ali, a fellow player and worshipper at the mosque, making comparison with the Lionel Messi, the Argentinian striker. "He was our best player."