Tributes have been paid to a “role model” 18-year-old who was stabbed to death in the street.

Jordan Moazami, from Quinton, Birmingham, was named by officials at the community football club where he was a much-valued mentor and former youth player.

The 18-year-old died at the scene after being found fatally wounded at about 7.15pm in Tennal Road, Harborne, on Wednesday evening.

A 19-year-old man arrested in connection with the incident remains in police custody, West Midlands Police said.

His death came as official figures showed knife crime in England and Wales reached record levels last year.

He is the eighth person to die in a stabbing-related incident in the West Midlands since the start of 2019.

Paying tribute to the victim, Lincoln Moses, general manager of Continental Star FC based in Perry Barr, Birmingham, said Jordan had been “looked up to” by the youngsters at the club.

Some former players had travelled down from Leicester on the train on Thursday to pay their respects, he added.

Mr Moses said Jordan had played with the youth sides from the age of 13 until about a year ago, and had also volunteered to help out with coaching as he got older.

“A lot of kids respected and looked up to him,” said the club manager.

“We have people like Jordan who come back and volunteer and they’re able to work with the young kids and he was a prime example of that.

“He was a mentor, and that’s important for us, because Continental Star is a community organisation, engaging around 800 kids.

“It’s important to have those role models like Jordan was, to engage those kids and steer them away from anti-social behaviour and that sort of thing.

“We don’t know the circumstances of what happened, all I can tell you is since knowing him here, he has steered a lot of kids along the right road.

Police cordon
A police cordon at the scene of the fatal stabbing (Richard Vernalls/PA)

“He was an intelligent lad, a lot of people respected and liked him.

“He had been captain of the team, so he was able to command that respect both on and off the pitch.”

Mr Moses said he last saw Jordan 12 months ago.

“He said to me, ‘Hello, big man’ and came over and shook my hand, and he was that sort of guy,” said Mr Moses.

“He was an excellent young man, and he was excellent with the kids here.”

Speaking about the wider issue of knife crime, Mr Moses added: “Knife crime is a product of society at the moment, and there’s a lot of issues.

“We can change some of those negatives in our community, and see a reduction in knife crime.

“Part of that is what we are doing here.

“Over the Easter holidays, we have had 439 kids over eight days, between 10am-3pm, who have been here doing multi-sports activities.

“All these kids here with us for the holidays, what would they be doing if they weren’t with us?

“That’s part of the work we’re doing in the community.”

He added: “We’ve had 45 volunteers working here, we’ve got a sports hub which was opened by Prince William in 2014, and the Home Secretary has been here recently on the hush-hush.

“We engage with 800 kids in total, and we do it without any support from local or national government.

“That’s part of how we tackle this issue of knife crime.”

A shopkeeper in nearby Blandford Road, Quinton, said Jordan was “one of the good ones”, and had helped out at the store from time to time.

The man, who did not want to be named, said: “I saw him that morning, he came in and said hello, and bought something and then he was on his way.

“The guy didn’t deserve it, he was a good worker, always on time when he worked here.

“He grew up around here and young people sort of looked up to him, he did a bit of boxing at one time.

“His mum and dad live round the corner, they’re good people. It’s wrong.”

Inspector Lee Trinder, of West Midlands Police, said: “Our thoughts are with the family of this young man at this awful time.

“We also know the concern that last night’s tragic killing has caused in Harborne and the wider Birmingham area.

“People can be assured that West Midlands Police’s dedicated homicide team is working to establish exactly what has happened.

“Meanwhile, we will have extra uniformed officers on reassurance patrols, and I’d encourage anyone with particular concerns to stop and speak to them.”

The force has also put a dispersal order in place for the next 48 hours in the Harborne and neighbouring Quinton areas, which can be used to break up groups or gangs of youths in the area.