The Copa Sudamericana is an important tournament for clubs from the region, as a trophy win can propel a team to new heights of fame and money. For viral sensation Santiago Fretes, however, this year’s Copa was a way to show that nothing gets in the way of a good time. The 11-year-old–who was born without his right leg due to a congenital malformation–made international headlines when a clip, recorded by Brazilian journalist Gabriel Carneiro, showed him schooling his friends with his flawless dribbling skills during the second leg between Racing Club de Avellaneda and Corinthians.
Last year, Fretes made headlines due to a heartwarming image that circulated the web of him sharing his crutches with a friend so that they could peak over a wall to watch Diego Milito’s last game with Racing Club de Avellanada. After that photo made the rounds, he became an internet sweetheart and one of Racing Club’s favorite fans; the club even offered to build a special prosthesis for him.
Now, Fretes is back in the spotlight for the short Copa clip, in which he takes a pass from one of his buddies and proceeds to school everyone involved. First nutmegging the “defender” after jumping across the playing area, he then shoots through the goalie’s legs. It’s clear that he doesn’t need much help despite not having the same physical abilities as his peers; Fretes moves lightning quick on his crutches and shows a rare finesse with the ball that would be impressive regardless. As if his soccer skills weren’t enough, he also practices Tae Kwon Do. Truly an inspiration.