Schoolboy Plays Football Even Without Feet

An 11-year old school boy plays football even if he is suffering from a limb deficiency, according to the Daily Mail.

Gabriel Muniz from Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil is suffering from limb deficiency which results in him not having feet. The said deficiency also known as apodia resulted to the underdevelopment of his feet but even if this was the case, the boy was still determined to walk. Gabriel's mother said: "He started to walk before he could talk at ten months. It was incredible." A few years after, the boy started kicking a ball around and even joined the local football team at his school. Gabriel has also won medals for the said sport. In another interview his mother said: "He started walking before he was one. We would go after him, expecting him to keep falling, but he never fell."

On ordinary days, Gabriel wears prosthetic limbs to help him move around but when he's on the playing field, he comes to his matches with no feet. FC Barcelona was impressed with Gabriel's determination and capabilities that they invited him to a training camp to play against able-bodied footballers. Gabriel also attended a trial at the football club's training academy in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro. As of late, a television series is being conceptualized and is following the life of Gabriel. In the show, he will be featured alongside his idol and football hero Lionel Messi.

Jose Lopes, Gabriel's gym teacher said: "He is challenging the social norms. When he arrived there at the Barcelona Academy, no one believed in him. But he proved to everyone there he can go head to head with any other boy. So much so that he was invited to Spain to showcase his talent."