How Argentina's blind soccer team became champions
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0:02 - 0:04I opened a blind man's head.
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0:05 - 0:10I didn't make him think or reflect --
I cracked his head open, literally. -
0:11 - 0:13We were walking with him
holding onto my shoulder, -
0:13 - 0:16I miscalculated how much space
there was between us, -
0:16 - 0:18and I knocked him into a gate.
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0:18 - 0:19(Laughter)
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0:19 - 0:21Five stitches in his forehead.
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0:22 - 0:25At that moment, I felt like
the worst teacher in the world. -
0:25 - 0:27I really didn't know how to apologize.
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0:28 - 0:34Luckily, El Pulga is one of those people
who takes things quite well. -
0:34 - 0:37And to this day, he says
that I was the coach -
0:37 - 0:39who left the most important
mark on his career. -
0:39 - 0:41(Laughter)
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0:41 - 0:45The truth is, when I started working
at the institute for the blind, -
0:45 - 0:46I was surprised by a lot of things.
-
0:47 - 0:50A lot of the things they did,
I never imagined they could: -
0:50 - 0:54they swam, did exercise, played cards.
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0:55 - 0:57They drank mate, and could pour it
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0:57 - 0:59without burning themselves in the process.
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0:59 - 1:01But when I saw them playing soccer --
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1:01 - 1:02that was amazing.
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1:03 - 1:07They had a dirt field,
rusty goalposts and broken nets. -
1:07 - 1:10The blind who attended the institute
would play their games there, -
1:10 - 1:13just like I did at a field near my house.
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1:13 - 1:15But they played without being able to see.
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1:16 - 1:19The ball made a sound
so they could locate it. -
1:19 - 1:22They had a guide
behind the rival team's goal -
1:22 - 1:24to know where to kick the ball.
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1:24 - 1:26And they used eye masks.
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1:26 - 1:28There were guys
who could still see a little, -
1:28 - 1:31and they wore eye masks
so everyone was equal. -
1:33 - 1:37When I was more at ease with them,
I asked for a mask myself. -
1:37 - 1:40I put it on and tried to play.
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1:40 - 1:42I had played soccer all my life.
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1:42 - 1:44This is where it got even more amazing:
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1:44 - 1:47within two seconds, I didn't know
where I was standing. -
1:50 - 1:54I had studied physical education
because I loved high performance. -
1:54 - 1:56I started working
at the institute by chance. -
1:56 - 1:59My other job was with the Argentinian
National Rowing Team, -
1:59 - 2:01and I felt that was my thing.
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2:01 - 2:03Here, everything was twice as hard.
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2:04 - 2:08I'll never forget the first day
I did the warm-up with the team. -
2:08 - 2:09I lined them up in front of me --
-
2:09 - 2:12I used to do that with the rowing team --
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2:12 - 2:15and I said, "OK, everyone
bend down," going like this. -
2:15 - 2:17When I looked up, two guys were seated,
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2:17 - 2:20three were lying down
and others were squatting. -
2:20 - 2:21(Laughter)
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2:21 - 2:25How could I do here
the same things I was doing there? -
2:27 - 2:28It took me a while.
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2:28 - 2:32I started looking for tools
to learn from them, -
2:32 - 2:34from the teachers who worked with them.
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2:34 - 2:39I learned I couldn't explain a play
on a chalkboard like a coach does, -
2:39 - 2:42but I could use a plastic tray
and some bottle caps -
2:42 - 2:44so they could follow me by way of touch.
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2:45 - 2:48I also learned they could run on a track
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2:48 - 2:50if I ran with them, holding a rope.
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2:51 - 2:54So we started looking for volunteers
to help us run with them. -
2:54 - 2:56I was enjoying it,
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2:58 - 3:01and finding purpose and meaning
in what we were doing. -
3:02 - 3:04It was hard at first,
it was uncomfortable, -
3:04 - 3:06but I decided to overcome the discomfort.
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3:06 - 3:08And there came a time
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3:08 - 3:10when it became the most
fascinating job I'd ever had. -
3:11 - 3:14I think that's when I wondered:
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3:14 - 3:18Why couldn't we be
a high-performance team as well? -
3:19 - 3:21Of course, one thing was missing:
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3:21 - 3:23I needed to find out what they wanted,
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3:23 - 3:25the real protagonists of this story.
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3:27 - 3:30Three hours of training,
playing soccer on that field, -
3:30 - 3:32were not going to be enough.
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3:32 - 3:34We would have to train differently.
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3:34 - 3:38We started to train harder,
and the results were great; -
3:38 - 3:39they asked for more.
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3:40 - 3:42I came to understand
that they, too, wondered -
3:42 - 3:44why they couldn't do high-performance.
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3:45 - 3:49When we felt ready,
we knocked at CENARD's door. -
3:49 - 3:52CENARD is the National Center
for High-Performance Sports -
3:52 - 3:53here in Argentina.
-
3:53 - 3:56It was hard to get them
to hear what we had to say. -
3:56 - 3:58But it was considerably more difficult
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3:58 - 4:02to get the other athletes training there
to consider us their equals. -
4:03 - 4:05In fact, they would let us use the field
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4:05 - 4:07only when no other teams were using it.
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4:07 - 4:09And we were known as "the blind ones."
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4:10 - 4:12Not everyone knew
exactly what we were doing there. -
4:14 - 4:18The 2006 World Championship
was a turning point in the team's history. -
4:18 - 4:21It was held in Buenos Aires
for the first time. -
4:21 - 4:24It was our chance to show everyone
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4:24 - 4:26what we had been doing all that time.
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4:27 - 4:28We made it to the finals.
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4:29 - 4:31We were growing as a team.
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4:31 - 4:33It was us against Brazil in the finals.
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4:34 - 4:37They were the best team in the tournament.
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4:37 - 4:39They won every game by a landslide.
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4:40 - 4:45Hardly anyone believed
we could win that game. -
4:46 - 4:48Hardly anyone -- except for us.
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4:49 - 4:51During pre-game meetings,
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4:51 - 4:52in the locker room,
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4:52 - 4:54during each warm-up,
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4:55 - 4:56it smelled of victory.
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4:58 - 5:00I swear that smell exists.
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5:00 - 5:03I smelled it several times with the team,
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5:03 - 5:06but I remember it in particular,
the day before we played that final. -
5:07 - 5:10The Argentine Football Association
had opened their doors to us. -
5:10 - 5:12We were training at AFA,
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5:12 - 5:14where Verón, Higuain and Messi trained.
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5:14 - 5:16For the first time ever,
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5:17 - 5:19we felt like a true national team.
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5:20 - 5:23At 7:30pm, the day before the game,
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5:23 - 5:27we were in the lounge discussing strategy,
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5:27 - 5:30and a kid knocks on the door,
interrupting our conversation. -
5:31 - 5:32He suggested we go to church.
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5:32 - 5:34He came to invite us to church.
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5:35 - 5:39I tried to get rid of him,
saying it wasn't a good time, -
5:39 - 5:42that we better leave it for another day.
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5:42 - 5:47He kept insisting, asking me to please
let him take the guys to church, -
5:48 - 5:51because that day, a pastor
who performed miracles would be there. -
5:52 - 5:56I was slightly afraid to ask
what type of miracles he meant, -
5:56 - 5:58and he replied nonchalantly,
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5:58 - 6:00"Coach, let me take
the team to the church, -
6:00 - 6:04and when we return, I guarantee
that half of them will be able to see." -
6:04 - 6:07(Laughter)
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6:09 - 6:10Some of the guys laughed,
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6:10 - 6:13but imagine being a blind person
and someone says that to you. -
6:13 - 6:15I didn't know what to say.
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6:15 - 6:17I said nothing; it was an awkward silence.
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6:17 - 6:19I didn't want to make him feel bad,
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6:19 - 6:21because he truly believed
this could happen. -
6:22 - 6:24One of the players saved me,
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6:25 - 6:27when he stood up and confidently said,
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6:27 - 6:29"Juan," -- that was the kid's name --
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6:29 - 6:32Gonza already told you
it's not the best time to go to church. -
6:32 - 6:33Besides, let me make this clear:
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6:33 - 6:37if we go to that church, and I end up
being able to see when we return, -
6:37 - 6:40I will beat you so hard,
I won't be able to play tomorrow." -
6:40 - 6:42(Laughter)
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6:42 - 6:49(Applause)
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6:53 - 6:57Juan left, laughing in resignation,
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6:57 - 6:59and we continued with our pregame talk.
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7:00 - 7:03That night when I went to sleep,
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7:03 - 7:06I began to dream
about the next day's game, -
7:06 - 7:09imagining what could happen,
how we would play. -
7:09 - 7:11And that's when I noticed
that smell of victory -
7:11 - 7:12I mentioned a while ago.
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7:13 - 7:15And it's because
at that moment, I thought: -
7:15 - 7:20if the other players had the same desire
as Diego going into the game, -
7:20 - 7:22it was impossible for us not to win.
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7:24 - 7:26The next day was going to be wonderful.
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7:26 - 7:30We got up at 9am, the game was at 7pm,
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7:30 - 7:32and we were already eager to play.
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7:32 - 7:38We left AFA, and the bus was full
of flags that people had given to us. -
7:39 - 7:41We were talking about the game,
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7:41 - 7:43and we could hear people
honking and cheering, -
7:43 - 7:47"Go Murciélagos! Today's the day!
The final challenge!" -
7:47 - 7:50The guys asked me, "Do they know us?
Do they know we're playing?" -
7:51 - 7:55Some people followed the bus to CENARD.
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7:55 - 7:59We arrived and found an amazing scene.
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7:59 - 8:02In the corridor leading
from the locker room to the game field, -
8:02 - 8:04I was walking with Silvio,
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8:04 - 8:07who was holding onto my shoulder,
so I could guide him. -
8:07 - 8:10Fortunately, there were
no gates along the way. -
8:10 - 8:11(Laughter)
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8:11 - 8:14When we reached the field,
he asked me about everything. -
8:14 - 8:16He didn't want to miss a single detail.
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8:16 - 8:20He said, "Tell me what you see,
tell me who's playing the drums." -
8:20 - 8:24I tried to explain what was happening
with as much detail as possible. -
8:24 - 8:28I told him, "The stands are packed,
a lot of people couldn't get in, -
8:28 - 8:31there are blue and white balloons
all over the field, -
8:31 - 8:35they're opening a giant Argentine flag
that covers the entire grandstand." -
8:35 - 8:37Suddenly, he cuts me off and says,
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8:37 - 8:41"Do you see a flag that says 'San Pedro'?"
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8:43 - 8:44That's the city where he lives.
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8:45 - 8:46I started looking into the stands
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8:46 - 8:49and I spotted a little white flag
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8:49 - 8:52with lettering done
in black spray paint, that read: -
8:52 - 8:56"Silvio, your family
and all of San Pedro are here." -
8:56 - 8:59I told him that and he replied,
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8:59 - 9:03"That's my wife, tell me where
she is, I want to I wave at her." -
9:04 - 9:05I pointed him toward the flag
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9:05 - 9:08and showed him with his arm
where they were sitting, -
9:08 - 9:10and he waved his arms in that direction.
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9:10 - 9:13About 20 or 30 people stood up
and gave him an ovation. -
9:13 - 9:15When that happened,
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9:15 - 9:17I saw how his face changed,
how moved he was. -
9:18 - 9:19It was moving for me, too;
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9:20 - 9:22two seconds later,
I had a lump in my throat. -
9:23 - 9:27It was strange -- I felt both
the excitement of what was happening, -
9:27 - 9:30and the anger and the anguish
that he could not see it. -
9:31 - 9:37A few days later when I told him
what I had experienced, -
9:37 - 9:41he tried to reassure me, saying,
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9:41 - 9:43"Gonza, don't feel bad, I could see them.
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9:43 - 9:46Differently, but I swear to you
that I saw them all." -
9:47 - 9:49The game started.
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9:49 - 9:52We could not fail; it was the final.
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9:52 - 9:54The audience was quiet, like here,
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9:54 - 9:56because in soccer for the blind,
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9:56 - 9:59the public has to be quiet
so the players can hear the ball. -
9:59 - 10:02They're only allowed to cheer
when the game is over. -
10:02 - 10:05And when there were eight minutes to go,
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10:06 - 10:09the crowd did all the cheering
they hadn't done in the first 32 minutes. -
10:09 - 10:13When pigeon-toed Silvio
nailed the ball at an angle, -
10:13 - 10:15they cheered with all their heart,
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10:15 - 10:17in an incredible way.
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10:19 - 10:23Today, if you go to CENARD,
you'll see a huge poster on the door, -
10:23 - 10:25with a photo of our team,
Los Murciélagos. -
10:26 - 10:31They're a model national team,
everyone in CENARD knows who they are, -
10:31 - 10:33and after having won
two World Championships -
10:34 - 10:35and two Paralympic medals,
-
10:35 - 10:37no one doubts they are
high-performance athletes. -
10:37 - 10:44(Applause)
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10:52 - 10:54(Applause ends)
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10:55 - 10:59I was lucky to train
this team for 10 years, -
10:59 - 11:02first as a trainer
and later as their coach. -
11:03 - 11:08I feel that they've given me much more
-
11:08 - 11:09than what I've given them.
-
11:10 - 11:16Last year, they asked me to coach
another national team, Power Soccer. -
11:17 - 11:21It's a national team of young men
who play soccer in wheelchairs. -
11:22 - 11:25They use motorized wheelchairs
that they drive with a joystick, -
11:25 - 11:27because they don't have
enough strength in their arms -
11:27 - 11:29to use conventional chairs.
-
11:29 - 11:33They added a bumper to the chair,
a safeguard that protects their feet, -
11:33 - 11:35while allowing them to kick the ball.
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11:36 - 11:40It's the first time that, instead
of being the spectators, -
11:40 - 11:42they're now the main characters.
-
11:42 - 11:47It's the first time their parents,
friends and siblings can see them play. -
11:48 - 11:50For me, it's a new challenge,
-
11:50 - 11:53with the same discomfort,
insecurity, and fear I had -
11:53 - 11:55when I started working with the blind.
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11:56 - 11:59But I approach it all
from a more experienced position. -
11:59 - 12:04That's why from day one,
I treat them as athletes on the field, -
12:04 - 12:06and off the field, I try
to put myself in their shoes -
12:06 - 12:08and behave without prejudice,
-
12:08 - 12:12because treating them naturally
feels best to them. -
12:13 - 12:18Both teams play soccer;
something once unthinkable for them. -
12:18 - 12:22They had to adapt the rules to do so.
-
12:23 - 12:26And both teams broke the same rule --
-
12:26 - 12:28the one that said
they couldn't play soccer. -
12:30 - 12:34When you see them play,
you see competition, not disability. -
12:35 - 12:38The problem starts when the game is over,
-
12:38 - 12:39and they leave the field.
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12:39 - 12:42Then they step in to play our game,
-
12:42 - 12:46in a society whose rules
don't really take them into account -
12:46 - 12:47or care for them.
-
12:48 - 12:49I learned from sports
-
12:49 - 12:53that disability greatly depends on
the rules of the game. -
12:54 - 12:58I believe that if we change
some of the rules of our game, -
12:58 - 13:00we can make life a little easier for them.
-
13:01 - 13:06We all know there are people
with disabilities; we see them daily. -
13:07 - 13:10But by having no direct contact with them,
-
13:10 - 13:13we're not aware of the problems
they face every day, -
13:13 - 13:15like how hard it is for them
to get on a bus, -
13:15 - 13:17find a job,
-
13:17 - 13:18take the subway
-
13:18 - 13:19or cross the street.
-
13:20 - 13:24It's true that there is an increasing
social responsibility -
13:24 - 13:27regarding the inclusion
of people with disabilities. -
13:28 - 13:31But I think it's still not enough.
-
13:31 - 13:34I think change needs to come
from every one of us. -
13:34 - 13:38First, by leaving behind
our indifference toward the disabled, -
13:38 - 13:41and then by respecting the rules
that do take them into account. -
13:41 - 13:43They are few, but they do exist.
-
13:45 - 13:48I cracked a blind man's head
open -- El Pulga's head. -
13:49 - 13:53I can assure you these two teams
opened mine as well. -
13:53 - 13:54They taught me that above all,
-
13:54 - 13:56you have to get out there
and play every game -
13:56 - 13:58in this beautiful tournament
that we call life. -
13:58 - 14:00Thank you.
-
14:00 - 14:06(Applause)
- Title:
- How Argentina's blind soccer team became champions
- Speaker:
- Gonzalo Vilariño
- Description:
-
With warmth and respect, coach Gonzalo Vilariño tells the captivating story of Argentina's blind soccer team -- and how a sincere belief in themselves and their capabilities transformed the players from humble beginnings into two-time World Champions. "You have to get out there and play every game in this beautiful tournament that we call life," Vilariño says.
- Video Language:
- Spanish
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 14:19
Camille Martínez commented on English subtitles for Cómo la selección argentina de fútbol para ciegos se convirtió en campeón. | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Cómo la selección argentina de fútbol para ciegos se convirtió en campeón. | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Cómo la selección argentina de fútbol para ciegos se convirtió en campeón. | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Cómo la selección argentina de fútbol para ciegos se convirtió en campeón. | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Cómo la selección argentina de fútbol para ciegos se convirtió en campeón. | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Cómo la selección argentina de fútbol para ciegos se convirtió en campeón. | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Cómo la selección argentina de fútbol para ciegos se convirtió en campeón. | ||
Brian Greene approved English subtitles for Cómo la selección argentina de fútbol para ciegos se convirtió en campeón. |
Camille Martínez
Please note that the following changes were made to the English transcript on 9/12/16:
5:27
and a kid knocks on the door,
interrupting our conversation.
-- "kid" has been changed to "waiter."
6:40
I will beat you so hard,
I won't be able to play tomorrow."
-- "I won't be able to play tomorrow" has been changed to "if I can't play tomorrow."
8:59
"That's my wife, tell me where
she is, I want to I wave at her."
-- "my wife" has been changed to "my mom."
Thank you!