Amputee Lionesses hit £50k World Cup target

Posted by author October 8, 2024 Football

Annabel Kiki A woman in a denim jumpsuit standing with her arms spread wide at a road side by a lorry and pallets. Her left trouser leg is cut short to reveal a black prosthetic leg. She is wearing sunglasses and has her hair tied back and is smiling at a camera off-centre. — Annabel Kiki, 16, said she planned to score as many goals as possible for England in the World Cup

A 16-year-old striker for England’s World Cup-bound amputee women’s football team says scoring goals brings the same buzz as it would if she had two legs.

Explaining how a love of goals never left her despite losing a limb, Annabel Kiki pledged to score as many as possible in Colombia next month.

But until Tuesday morning, she didn’t even know whether the team could afford to go to the inaugural World Cup for their sport.

An online fundraising campaign launched in July, which set a target of £50k, was only about halfway there until the team’s appearance on BBC Breakfast on Monday. Since then, the target has been surpassed overnight.

Ms Kiki, from Cannock, Staffordshire, said: “We were on £24k literally a day ago, and within that time we have reached our goal.

“I honestly cannot believe it, I think I’m in shock.”

Amputee footballer Annabel Kiki, pictured centre with her teammates, said she was in shock the team was going to the World Cup

Annabel Kiki A black and white picture showing nine members of England Women's amputee football team, dressed in black shorts, t-shirts and football socks, standing on a football pitch. Eight of the women have crutches and five can be seen to have had a leg amputated. — Amputee footballer Annabel Kiki, pictured centre with her teammates, said she was in shock the team was going to the World Cup

The World Amputee Football Federation Women’s World Cup takes place in Baranquilla, Colombia, between 4 and 10 November.

The England Amputee Football Association’s fundraising aimed to cover costs, with any surplus going towards maintaining the women’s programme in the future.

Ms Kiki told BBC Breakfast the squad’s group chat was “blowing up” on Monday as donations came rolling in.

“I get a bit emotional because we’ve been working up to this for so long and every girl on that team deserves this,” she said.

“I just want to say a massive thank you to everybody who’s donated because you got us to this World Cup.”

The team has been training hard to bring the trophy home for England

Six female amputee footballers standing in a circle on a pitch. Four are wearing fluorescent bibs over black t-shirts and shorts. All the women have crutches. Four training goals can be seen on the far side of the pitch. — The team has been training hard to bring the trophy home for England

Ms Kiki said former captain of England and Chelsea’s men’s teams John Terry had also been in touch with the Lionesses to arrange a tour of Stamford Bridge, where the squad would meet Chelsea players.

“I’m going to try and get as much advice [from them] as possible because we are going to bring [the cup] home,” she said.

The 16-year-old, who is also a model and keen skier, had an amputation following a diagnosis of bone cancer at 13.

She said she had been playing football since she was seven, and wondered whether the operation might prevent her from continuing.

She explained: “I never thought I would play again after my amputation, but when I found amputee football… when I’m on that pitch and I score a goal the adrenaline is exactly the same as it would be if I had two legs.”