Colombian Man Helps His Blind & Deaf Friend Enjoy the World Cup by Moving His Hands With Each Play

When the Columbia-Poland Group H World Cup game was on television, friends Jose Richard Gallego and Cesar Daza decided to go down to a local bar in Bogota to enjoy the match with other like minded fans. The two men sat down at a table facing each other, Deza took Gallego’s hands and began mimicking the players’ moves in almost real time over a miniature table-sized soccer field. As it turns out, Gallego lost his sight and hearing at the age of nine, but never lost his love for the game. The two men have worked out a system to indicate certain moves and plays. Deza explained how they communicate with each other about the game.

We’ve reached a common understanding. This means out of bounds. This refers to a corner kick. This means sideline judge. This sign means a penalty kick. If the ball is thrown-in, this is the signal. This gesture means someone got a red card or yellow card.