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These athletes have found a reason to live at Amputee Football World Cup

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Google Oneindia News

Mexico City, Dec 17: If you thought sports is only a domain for those who are in a perfect physical shape, you are not correct. The story of Oscar Pistorius is not new but there are also events where not individuals but teams of amputee players take part in quest for the title. The Amputee Football World Cup is one such competition.

These athletes have found a reason to live at Amputee Football World Cup

The 2018 edition of the unique football competition took place in Mexico where Angola lifted the title beating Turkey 5-4 in the final in penalty shootout. The match ended 0-0 at normal time and neither there was a goal in the extra time to break the tie. The shootout went down to the wire with both teams scoring in their first four shots but Angolan goalkeeper Jesus saved the final shot from Turkey to put his team closer to winning the title. Angola lost the final of the 2014 edition to Russia. Brazil won the bronze medal in the 2018 tournament.

Dogs eagerly wait at hospital entrance for homeless man who undergoes treatment insideDogs eagerly wait at hospital entrance for homeless man who undergoes treatment inside

It is not that the amputee players' world cup is as smooth as that of the Fifa World Cup which also took place early this year for there are financial hardships for teams besides visa issues. But yet, this tournament, despite its limited reach, is a major event that celebrates humanity.

Here is a video report from nowthisnews.com which shows how people who once had found their lives without any worth after losing a limb, rediscovered their purpose of life through this tournament. Twenty-two countries took part in the 2018 edition of the amputee World Cup. Many of the participants are army veterans who have lost their limbs in combat. The team from El Salvadaor, for example, comprised mostly of retired soldiers who fought in battles in the 1980s and 1990s. The video report spoke about one Jose Luis Nava who lost a leg in a mine blast during his country's Civil War and after giving up hope about his life, even contemplating suicide, the man found a new direction in this tournament where he can still fight for his country. "I joined a team of amputees and that's how I gained a positive mentality," he was quoted as saying. The man's positive thought eventually saw him becoming a member of his country's team at the World Cup.

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