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Amputee football team - 13th May 2022

These people are amputee football players in Indonesia. Each amputee only has one leg. They’re practising for a competition.

Syaiful Arifin loved playing football. But he had an accident when he was 12. He lost his leg. This ended his dream of being a footballer. Then, he saw amputee football online.

Syaiful Arifin: "It all started from social media because no one knew about football for amputees. So, I looked it up on the internet and came across a website about amputee football in Indonesia."

Amputee football needs special skills. Players have to learn to play with their crutches. Muhammad Komer's the team coach.

Muhammad Komar: "The most difficult thing in this kind of football is to adjust yourselves with the crutches. It's not as easy as football training with both legs. They need to coordinate different muscles when running or kicking the ball. It takes a lot of training."

Football helps the amputee players. It’s good for their mental health. And it’s a fun activity. Khusnul Yakin says it gives him confidence.

Khusnul Yakin: "I used to just stay at home, lacking confidence because of our physical condition. But then I thought, 'Come on, why should I be shy? We are humans just like others, even though we have disabilities.'"

This team, from Surabaya, needs more players. But they feel confident about the competition. They think they can win.

Dendy Rohman thinks the team are winners anyway. They're a light of hope in Surabaya.

Dendy Rohman: "They are an inspiration and a hope for the future, that you have to stand up despite your conditions so you can embrace a better future."