Feature: Egypt's first one-legged "Miracle Team" aspires to join amputee soccer world cup
                 Source: Xinhua | 2018-03-11 06:17:37 | Editor: huaxia

Members of the "Miracle Team" have a training session in the pitch of El Salam youth center on the outskirts of the capital Cairo, Egypt on March 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Hope can work miracles. Challenge, determination and hard work can turn dreams into reality.

Carrying crutches, a group of 40 Egyptian one-legged soccer players have recently formed their "Miracle Team" that aspires to start league for disabled footballers in the country and dreams of joining the amputee football world cup one day.

"We love soccer since childhood. We have a dream of being soccer players but we didn't have a chance," said 28-year-old lawyer Mahmoud Abdo, the team founder and captain, who lost one leg in an accident when he was six.

"After we accidentally watched the famous match between Turkey and England when the former won the 2017 European Amputee Football Championship, our dream was revived. We realized that amputee soccer was recognized worldwide and the dream could come true," the Miracle Team's top player told Xinhua during a training session in the pitch of El Salam youth center on the outskirts of the capital Cairo.

Abdo is the soccer fan whose photo went viral when he was captured jumping skillfully upside down on his crutches out of joy after Egypt's national soccer team scored a narrow win over Congo last October and was qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia after more than two decades of absence.

"The people with special needs have abilities to do unbelievably great things. They can do the impossible if they just get a chance," he said, noting that the idea was not about finding one-legged people who can play soccer but finding those who love it.

Egypt's first official amputee football league is expected to start in July, after the sports minister approved the amputee football as a national sport and promised support for it.

The Miracle Team still calls on the Egyptian Football Association to establish a special committee for amputee football and start to address the world association to enroll the team as Egypt's representative in amputee soccer international championships.

"Our dream is to join the world cup and we promise we will realize it," said the team's administrative manager Khaled Hassan, a veteran disabled swimmer who made it across the English Channel 36 years ago.

"It's really a 'miracle' team because its members have amputated limbs but they are still able to do what they want. This is the challenge and this is the miracle," Hassan told Xinhua after he divided the players into two rival teams during the training session.

An amputee football team consists of seven players, six field players and one goalkeeper. The field players are one-legged and the goalkeeper is one-armed. None of them is allowed to play with their prosthesis.

Seif Mohamed, a goalkeeper of the Miracle Team, says amputee football is a big challenge as field players have to be one-legged. "Soccer is tough for non-disabled people to play, let alone on crutches."

"We need support to do better, for we don't have a fixed pitch, adequate training tools, uniforms, etc. We provide for everything by ourselves," he said, adding, "All people with special needs are ambitious. They face the difficult side of life with a confident smile and overcome it."

Players come from remote provinces to join the Miracle Team training. They have to wake up at dawn at least once a week to catch the training in Cairo in the early morning.

Abdullah Mostafa, 23, came from Minufiya province north of Cairo to join his 11th training session with the team and realize his childhood dream of becoming a soccer player.

"Although I come from Minufiya, I am the first to arrive to the pitch as I always come an hour before the training starts. It's my dream and I work hard to realize it," Mostafa said, noting that he has been playing football since he was 12.

Some friends and family members of the Miracle Team came to watch the training and provide support for their loved ones.

"I am so proud of my father. He does not only join the Miracle Team but he's a bodybuilder too. He did not stop playing football despite the accident that amputated his leg 12 years ago," Ahmed Ibrahim, a boy who was watching the training, told Xinhua.

Back to Top Close
Xinhuanet

Feature: Egypt's first one-legged "Miracle Team" aspires to join amputee soccer world cup

Source: Xinhua 2018-03-11 06:17:37

Members of the "Miracle Team" have a training session in the pitch of El Salam youth center on the outskirts of the capital Cairo, Egypt on March 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Hope can work miracles. Challenge, determination and hard work can turn dreams into reality.

Carrying crutches, a group of 40 Egyptian one-legged soccer players have recently formed their "Miracle Team" that aspires to start league for disabled footballers in the country and dreams of joining the amputee football world cup one day.

"We love soccer since childhood. We have a dream of being soccer players but we didn't have a chance," said 28-year-old lawyer Mahmoud Abdo, the team founder and captain, who lost one leg in an accident when he was six.

"After we accidentally watched the famous match between Turkey and England when the former won the 2017 European Amputee Football Championship, our dream was revived. We realized that amputee soccer was recognized worldwide and the dream could come true," the Miracle Team's top player told Xinhua during a training session in the pitch of El Salam youth center on the outskirts of the capital Cairo.

Abdo is the soccer fan whose photo went viral when he was captured jumping skillfully upside down on his crutches out of joy after Egypt's national soccer team scored a narrow win over Congo last October and was qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia after more than two decades of absence.

"The people with special needs have abilities to do unbelievably great things. They can do the impossible if they just get a chance," he said, noting that the idea was not about finding one-legged people who can play soccer but finding those who love it.

Egypt's first official amputee football league is expected to start in July, after the sports minister approved the amputee football as a national sport and promised support for it.

The Miracle Team still calls on the Egyptian Football Association to establish a special committee for amputee football and start to address the world association to enroll the team as Egypt's representative in amputee soccer international championships.

"Our dream is to join the world cup and we promise we will realize it," said the team's administrative manager Khaled Hassan, a veteran disabled swimmer who made it across the English Channel 36 years ago.

"It's really a 'miracle' team because its members have amputated limbs but they are still able to do what they want. This is the challenge and this is the miracle," Hassan told Xinhua after he divided the players into two rival teams during the training session.

An amputee football team consists of seven players, six field players and one goalkeeper. The field players are one-legged and the goalkeeper is one-armed. None of them is allowed to play with their prosthesis.

Seif Mohamed, a goalkeeper of the Miracle Team, says amputee football is a big challenge as field players have to be one-legged. "Soccer is tough for non-disabled people to play, let alone on crutches."

"We need support to do better, for we don't have a fixed pitch, adequate training tools, uniforms, etc. We provide for everything by ourselves," he said, adding, "All people with special needs are ambitious. They face the difficult side of life with a confident smile and overcome it."

Players come from remote provinces to join the Miracle Team training. They have to wake up at dawn at least once a week to catch the training in Cairo in the early morning.

Abdullah Mostafa, 23, came from Minufiya province north of Cairo to join his 11th training session with the team and realize his childhood dream of becoming a soccer player.

"Although I come from Minufiya, I am the first to arrive to the pitch as I always come an hour before the training starts. It's my dream and I work hard to realize it," Mostafa said, noting that he has been playing football since he was 12.

Some friends and family members of the Miracle Team came to watch the training and provide support for their loved ones.

"I am so proud of my father. He does not only join the Miracle Team but he's a bodybuilder too. He did not stop playing football despite the accident that amputated his leg 12 years ago," Ahmed Ibrahim, a boy who was watching the training, told Xinhua.

010020070750000000000000011105091370301971
百姓彩票 大发app 凤凰彩票app 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 大发彩票 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ii下载入口 乐发ll 乐发v平台 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 乐发lv 乐发lll安装 乐发lv 乐发登录入口 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票登录 网信彩票 彩神 彩神彩票官方网站 彩神彩票官网首页 彩神官方app下载安卓版 凤凰彩票登录 彩神v3 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 快3官网 网信彩票 快3app 网信彩票平台 百姓彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3app下载 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票平台 幸运5分彩快3 快3彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 大发10分PK10 快3下载 网信彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3彩票官网app 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 大发彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 彩神购彩平台 每日彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 彩神彩票购彩平台 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 凤凰彩票登录 乐发lv 乐发∨Il 百姓彩票网站网址 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发lll安装 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 一分快3 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 乐发lll 乐发ii下载入口 乐发彩票官方网站 凤凰彩票官方网站 凤凰快3 彩神彩票官网首页 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 凤凰彩票app 乐发app 网信彩票平台 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票app 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票app 网信彩票平台 乐发彩票app下载 乐发lv 乐发app 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 彩神彩票 乐发彩票中心 极速快3彩票平台 人人快三凤凰 大发彩票app 大发彩票大全 乐发彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 乐发app 酷天堂彩票平台 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票大厅 凤凰彩票app 极速快3彩票平台 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 大发彩票app 网信彩票用户 百姓快三 百姓彩票平台 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 彩信平台 网信彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发∨Il 人人快三凤凰 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 人人快三凤凰 乐发彩票 彩神彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发彩票 大发彩票中心 凤凰彩票登录 凤凰彩票app 彩神彩票 大发彩票 乐发ll 大发彩票app 凤凰快3 凤凰彩票 彩神彩票 乐发ll 凤凰彩票 乐发lll 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 彩神彩票 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 盈彩网投资平台 大发官网 一分时时彩 乐发lv 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 彩神iv 大发彩票app 大小单双平台 一分pk10 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发官网 快彩彩票 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 乐发彩票中心 网信快3 乐发 彩神xl 三分快3 大发彩票 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 大发彩票 乐发 分分快3 彩神vl 55世纪 55世纪 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 乐发lv welcome凤凰彩票 乐发ll 1分快3 彩神 彩神ll 1分快3官网 1分快3的平台 welcome凤凰彩票 三分快3 彩神x 彩神vl 凤凰彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ll 乐发lll 乐发lv 大发彩票app 大发彩票 乐发 乐发彩票 乐发彩票中心 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 彩神xl 腾讯快3 大发彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票app 快3平台 乐发 1分快3 乐发彩票 彩神x 凤凰快3 彩神xl 彩吧助手 大发彩票app 快3平台 大发排列3 彩神iv 彩神vl 乐发IV 彩神x 一分pk10 大发排列3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 一分pk10 凤凰彩票 乐发Vll 大发官网 乐发ll 大发彩票 乐发1 凤凰快3 彩神vl 乐发lx 百姓彩票 乐发VI 彩神x 乐发IV 极速快3 乐发 凤凰快3 网信快3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发lv 乐发lv 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 大发彩票 大发彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 彩神x 乐发 乐发ll 极速快3 乐发lv 乐发彩票中心 快3彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 彩神x 凤凰彩票app 分分快3 网信彩票 网盟彩票 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票 乐发 快彩彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发ll 网信彩票 乐发lv 全民彩票 凤凰彩票app下载 快盈彩票 大发彩票app 大发官网 凤凰彩票 彩神iv 大发彩票 网信快3 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票