When your dream is to become a footballer and play for Barcelona, nothing should get in your way — even if you have no feet.
An 11-year-old schoolboy Gabriel Muniz, who was born without feet, will fly from his home in Brazil to take part in the Spanish club's summer training camp. Although he is disabled, Muniz is one of the top players at the school and captain of his gym class. He can run, dribble (运球), pass and strike the ball as well as any of his able-bodied teammates. He spends all his spare time on the football pitch.
His best friend Lucas Santos spoke about his abilities on a video for The Sun, “He is skillful, he goes after it, he is fearless and he knows how to organize plays. He also makes good passes.” Mum Sandra was thrilled that her son would achieve his dreams. She said, “He started walking before he was one. We would go after him, expecting him to keep falling, but he never fell.” Muniz's gym teacher added, “He is challenging the social norms (标准). When he arrived there, no one believed in him.” But he showed to everyone that he could play as well as any other boy. So he was invited to go to Spain to show his talent.
The Spanish La Liga soccer club has offered to fly Muniz to Spain in September, where he'll be able to show off his “fancy footwork” and meet his idol, Barça soccer player Lionel Messi.
Muniz wears a prosthetic (假体的) ankle and foot to help him get around in rainy weather. He knows that his disability means he'll never be able to play for a professional football team and so Muniz is hoping that football will one day become a Paralympic (残奥会的) sport.
① played football well and became captain of his school gym class
② could walk without falling when he was very little
③ was asked to fly to Spain for a summer training camp
