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 told AFP at a recent match in the small town of Indramayu, some 220 km east of Jakarta.
"They relented and went out to find me a cheap plastic ball."
"Although he's physically very different from the rest of us, his spirit remains strong. He really motivates me."
"People with disabilities like me and poor people can all unite without being looked down upon or stigmatised."
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