Turkey will host the 2022 Amputee Football World Cup by October. They are taking it seriously because the game means so much to them.
They run a very robust amputee football league which they maintain very effectively as a platform for the socio-economic integration of their various physically challenged persons, to enable them live active, gainful and happy life.
They were runner up at the Mexico 2018 Amputee World Cup. They went to the competition as European champions following their 2-1 defeat of England in the 2017 finals in Instanbul.
They want the world cup badly, to underscore their high technical strength, their huge social investments and the passion with which their population follow and celebrate amputee football.
They got close to the title pitched against Angola in the Mexico 2018 finals. They did everything to grab it but the Angolans took the day in a penalty shootout.
They have not come over the loss to the Africans. Though Angola has a strong team powered by the nation’s petro-dollar, it was not expected that an African team would be in contention for the World Cup title, much more winning it.
The World Cup had seemed like an exclusive reserve of South American and European nations with Brazil, Russia and Uzbekistan sharing multiple wins since 2003 when it was started.
They failed to appreciate that Angola played up to the finals of the 2014 edition, only losing to Russia at the end. Perhaps the underestimation helped the Angolans to discharge top nations like Brazil, Spain, Italy, Poland, former champions Russia in the quarter finals, hosts Mexico in the semi and taking the day from Turkey in the final.
Lessons have been learnt and, for sure, ahead of the 2022 World Cup, all eyes will be on Angola.
Besides it’s deep technical strength and high level organisation in the game, Turkey will also be relying on the support of its massive home fans. 40,000 of them filled the stadium to cheer their national team to a 2-1 victory over England in the 2017 Euro finals. They will be bustling in 2022.
While all that is going on, the world should be expecting Nigeria. Though their national amputee team suffers perennial funding difficulties, the team is resiliently re-asserting its right to life and inching its way up.
They went through hardships to attend the Amputee World Cup for the first time at Mexico 2018. With incomplete squad, they got the baptism of fire, a bashing from Brazil in their first match. However, with the arrival other members later in the tournament, they shook off the downing to discharge one-time world cup winners, Salvador, drew other significant games and finished 18th in the world ranking.
They returned to the continent with profound experience from Mexico and headed to the 2019 Africa Amputee Football Nations Cup.
For 17 years of sporadic attempts, they had never played up to the finals but, this time, they got up there to challenge Angola, the host and world cup title holders in the gold medal match.
Though they finished as runner up, it marked a significant progress in Nigeria amputee football. They are now a team to mind. Also, through their performances in the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Africa Nations Cup, a number of the players have been engaged by clubs in Europe.
They go in again for the 2021 Africa Nations Cup holding in Tanzania from November 26. The tournament serves as qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Turkey and the players know the opportunities the exposure and visibility accord them if they perform well. They can stun the world both in Tanzania and in Turkey, if only for this reason.
The players are looking beyond the pains the immediate deprivations inflict on them. They have their gaze on the more wonderful horizon which is in the bowel of tomorrow.
They play not just for pride nor fun. They play in search of survival.
(Please support the Nigeria Amputee Football Team to the Africa Nations Cup, Tanzania 2021, and Amputee World Cup qualifiers.
Donate a little to:
Amputee Global
Zenith Bank
1015907346)
