Germany’s blind soccer international Hasan Koparan paid a visit to Säbener Straße, Munich, the training ground of his country’s most successful soccer club. After some mini drills to ease them in, players Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala and Matthijs de Ligt had great fun taking on demanding circuits and other blind soccer challenges. For the FC Bayern Munich pros, this “Experiencing new sports” initiative truly lived up to its name.
Germany blind soccer international and four-time Blind Football European Championships veteran Hasan Koparan visited FC Bayern Munich to give the club’s players a taste of his sport as part of the longstanding “Experiencing new sports” initiative.
“I must admit, I was really worried initially,” said Joshua Kimmich in response to Hasan Koparan asking him how it felt to wear eye shades for the first time. “These blackout eye shades are specially made for blind soccer players and ensure that none of them can see anything. This creates a level playing field for everyone, given that some players have a limited degree of vision,” explains Hasan.
After a brief period of getting used to the shades and the special soccer ball with built-in rattle, the players moved straight on to the dribbling course before taking shots at the mini goals. This is where trust and clear instructions became paramount as the FCB pros learned to guide one another around the field.
And clear instructions were also important in the next challenge, which involved one-on-one duels. The dueling players received instructions from their team-mates regarding the position of the goal and their opponent. They quickly realized the crucial importance of on-field communication. “Voy, voy” is what players call to one another to indicate that they are approaching their opponent. This enables them to find their bearings on the field.
The session closed out with a penalty shootout. The goalkeeper begins by tapping on the goalposts. This acoustic signal allows the outfield players to better gauge the dimensions of the goal. "It was an absolute blast,” was the unanimous verdict of the three FCB players. Hasan Koparan was also extremely pleased with the session. “The guys really got stuck in and proved their true professionalism once again.”
Getting to grips with blind soccer
Blind soccer is a fascinating sport in which blind and visually-impaired players use a ringing or rattling ball. Teams comprise four outfield players, who wear blackout eye shades to ensure a level playing field, and a sighted goalkeeper. Players navigate their way around the field by calling out instructions to each other and listening to the sound of the ball, with the goalkeeper and coaches also providing key information. Blind soccer is a sport that requires teamwork and a high level of trust among the players, as well as physical fitness.
