Emiel van Engelen (30) has been on the football field a lot since his youth, but he has never made a handball. Emiel was born without arms. “An experiment of nature,” he describes with a wink.
“It really is my home,” Emiel begins as he walks onto the FC Tilburg field. He has been playing his games with this since he was a child. “Just with the normal teams,” he emphasizes. He grew up with the teammates. “Almost everyone knows me here.”
“I don’t shy away from a nudge on the back.”
The fact that his football buddies have known him for a long time is also noticeable in the dressing room. When they enter, Emiel goes to everyone and gives them a foot-five. One of his buddies helps him tie his laces with all his love and then the football can begin.
“Emiel is really a top guy,” says one of his teammates before they enter the field. “But he can’t actually play football very well,” he says with a big wink. Emiel himself knows better: “At least I can’t play hands. Actually, everyone needs an ‘Emiel’ in their team!”
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On the field he sometimes notices that the opponent holds back a bit at first. “But if they notice that I don’t shy away from a shoulder push, then fortunately they will also join the duel,” laughs Emiel, kicking a ball with both left and right feet. “Moreover, we all want to win,” adds the fanatical FC Tilburg player.
It has never become completely clear why Emiel has no arms. “In the first six weeks a child develops arms and legs, but in my case only the legs have developed.” He shrugs laughing: “Well, nature’s experiment.”