‘ Footless’ footballer Eman is breaking barriers
Indramayu ( Indonesia), April 3: When Eman Sulaeman begged his parents to let him play football, the couple worried their young son — born with no feet and just one full leg — would be mocked.
But two decades later, the 30- year- old Indonesian goalkeeper is wowing crowds at home and abroad with his “cat- like” reflexes, and sending a powerful message about people with disabilities.
“I cried for days, begging them ( my parents) to buy me a ball,” he said at a recent match in the small town of Indramayu.
“They relented and went out to find me a cheap plastic ball.”
Sulaeman’s fans came out in force at a recent match at a local court for futsal — a five- a- side game played on a hard pitch with hockey- sized goals and a less bouncy ball.
They snapped pictures and cheered as Sulaeman protected his net by shifting quickly on stumps and his one leg — the other limb is missing from the knee down.
Cheers turned into a roar as he kicked the ball into the back of the other team’s net, capping off a win for his side.
Young fans waited for a selfie with their hero.
“He is very inspiring,” said 18- year- old Muhammad Faisal Bahri.
“Although he’s physically very different from the rest of us, his spirit remains strong. He really motivates me.”
It hasn’t been easy for Sulaeman — a big fan of former Manchester United keeper Edwin Van Der Sar and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo — who had to train tirelessly to get where he is.
“I spent a long time learning to walk in balance before I was able to kick the ball,” he said.
“Football for me is just like my wife. My girlfriend is even jealous of it because I love it too much,” he laughed.
In 2016, he joined the Indonesian team at the Homeless World Cup in Glasgow.