Before Sunday’s World Cup finale, watch this blind soccer video
by Cameron
I love soccer, so this past month I’ve been in World Cup heaven!
Futbol, futebol, soccer…no matter what you call it, you probably also know it as The Beautiful Game. And, for me, it really is. When my friends and I talk about a match, we describe plays as beautiful or pretty. We’ll talk about how graceful a player is or how fluid his footwork is. For me, the game is very visual.
Not so for Liwiston and his Urece teammates. They play Football 5-a-side, or blind soccer. Their game is based on audio clues, everything from someone knocking on goal posts to listening for a ball that sounds like a maraca. And, boy, do they play a mean game of futebol!
This terrific video from The New York Times chronicles Liwiston and his team as they defend their regional title and hope to win a slot on Brazil’s national team. If they make the team, they’ll get to play at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio. I’m rooting for Liwiston and his Urece teammates – they show me that it’s the players’ passion that truly make soccer The Beautiful Game it is.
PS: For those that may think that there’s any kind of advantage to playing with no out of bounds…I’ve played indoor soccer (with barriers) and trust me, it’s faster and harder than playing on the pitch!