Euronews Correspondent Giorgia Orlandi spoke with a group of veterans showcasing the transformative power of football despite their injuries.
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00:00 From the battlefield to the football pitch.
00:05 For most of these amputee players who`ve joined Ukraine`s first football club for veterans
00:10 with amputations, the game has become their therapy.
00:14 After suffering the worst injuries in the most ferocious frontline battles, today they
00:19 have found a way to ease their pain, not just physical, but also emotional.
00:24 That`s exactly what playing football has done to Valentin, as well as to other players.
00:29 He met them during one of their two-hour long training sessions.
00:33 You could feel some different emotions, but for me, I think that always football was kind
00:39 of therapy.
00:40 You know, when I could relax, when I could, I don`t know, regenerate my mind and I could
00:49 just forget about anything, just playing football, just concentrate on the thing which I love.
00:57 Even for the football coach, this experience is a first.
01:00 He has never trained such a team before and he finds it an extremely fulfilling experience.
01:06 It`s better for me that those who have amputations, because it`s more beneficial for them and
01:15 you can be useful not only physically, but also psychologically for them.
01:21 But it`s not just for fun.
01:23 They are determined to win.
01:25 They had the chance to show their grit recently in their first championship in Poland.
01:30 The pitch offers them a second chance after such a significant loss.
01:35 Tournaments, for example, it was in Poland.
01:39 For us, maybe it was kind of also revenge to show that Ukrainian spirit is unbreakable
01:46 and I want to show that we`re strong and we`re proceeding to fight.
01:54 The team hopes the sport will become even more popular in Ukraine and that more former
01:59 soldiers will follow their example.
02:02 Georgia Orlandi for Euronews in Lviv, Ukraine.
02:08 (laughing)