An amazing 21-year old footballer has stunned lots of football followers with his incredible exploits on the football pitch even though he has only one leg.
He Yiyi is handicapped after losing a leg when he was younger, but he has generated lots of followers and fans with his unbelievable ability on the with the ball.
According to reports by AFP, the one-legged footballer has endeared himself to millions of Chinese football fans following a widely circulated and publicized video-clip showing him holding his own against full bodied opponents on the football pitch and even scoring a stunning right-footed shot.
He Yiyi who’s just 21-years of age, lost his leg at childhood due to a cancer. He currently uses crutches to support himself while playing.
He Yiyi is now known by various nicknames including “Magic Boy”, “Ball King with One Leg”, and Angel with Broken Wings”.
In his early days, He was noticed by a French scout before he lost his leg. He was denied access to organized amateur leagues in China and currently plays in the odd pick-up match, hosted in the Southern Province of Guangdong in China.
Online, He Yiyi is even more famous; as a video of him playing in an exhibition game and talking about challenges he faces when playing against able-bodied opposition has been viewed about four million times online.
Back in 2008, before the diagnosis that changed his life, He Yiyi was notice by a French football scout and was set to move to France to with the expectation of turning professional.
Sadly though, before He could procure his travel documents completely, a pain which he had been nursing in his left leg was diagnosed as osteosarcoma, which is a type of cancer that mainly occurs in the children and adults.
He was advised by Doctors to have the leg amputated in order to have a better chance of survival. He succumbed to the amputation ad was to survive the cancer.
He has said that on the rare occasions that he is allowed to play competitively with able-bodied players, he is often abused and teased.
> “They want me out in the first few minutes and will shout, ‘What are you doing here?'” he said.
He Yiyi prefers clutches when playing to artificial prosthesis legs because the amputation spot is very high up his legs. He says prosthesis would not afford him enough control and mobility. He also says that crutches are more comfortable for him.
He also uses cheap crutches when playing matches, instead of the sturdier and firm types. He uses the cheaper ones intentionally so that when an opposition player tackles him, the crutches would break instead of the player to get hurt or himself.
He Yiyi advises other people who are reluctant to pursue their dreams because of one disability or the other;
> “You should take a positive attitude towards life, don’t trap yourself at home whining,” he said. “It is only you who can save yourself. Isn’t it better to give others a smile?”