Spanish forward David Villa, who is on the verge of leading Spain to World Cup glory, had faced a right leg amputation as a four-year-old after a horrific break in his femur.
Villa suffered the accident while playing football, when a much older kid fell on his leg.
Doctors feared that they might have to amputate the leg, but miraculously, Villa escaped the worst.
However, he had to spend six months in plaster.
His father, Jose Manuel, a miner, said that after Villa recovered from the horrific accident, he used to spend two hours teaching his right-footed son to kick the ball with his left foot.
“When I came home from the mine we always spent two hours together. I would pass the ball to him and he would kick it with his left foot,” The Sun quoted Manuel, as saying.
“I think for that reason he is now equally good with both feet,” he added.
Talking about his father’s contribution in his evolution as a world-class footballer, Villa said: “My dad would be there throwing me the ball over and over, making me kick it with my left leg when my right was in plaster after breaking it.”
“I can barely remember a single training session when my dad wasn’t there. I have never been alone on a football pitch,” he added.
Spain will play Sunday’s World Cup final against Netherlands at Johannesburg’s Soccer City.
