Dwarf football team

New heights for dwarf football team

Updated 08.39 Fri Apr 11 2008
Keywords: competition, team, itn, para, football, soccer, dwarfs, brazil

A football team of dwarfs are kicking up a big storm in Brazil.

Despite the average height of a player only reaching four foot, the squad has silenced their critics by thrashing almost every other rival club.

With an ironic touch the team have named themselves Giants of the North

The charismatic group from Brazil's north state of Para, claim to have formed the world's first dwarfs-only soccer team.

With an ironic touch the team have named themselves Giants of the North.

Their coach Carlos Lucena says the squad brings happiness to their fans wherever they go.

He said: "We came to bring joy to the people and that's what we are causing. Wherever we go, we take joy to the town with this wonderful team."

Lucena got the idea of forming the team after he invited one of them, who's a friend, to practice in a children's squad and found that he was super talented.

In January he created an 18-strong squad and they now play regular matches mainly against youth teams.

Player Antonio dos Santos says the opportunity has changed his life.

He said: "I felt isolated, but through the team I managed to become happy. I used to be despised for being short, but now I feel happy."

Officials from the Guinness Book of World Records are even considering putting them in this year's edition.

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