A ten-year-old Tapatio boy lived a dream last weekend when he walked out at one of Europe’s most famous soccer stadiums in front of 70,000 spectators.
Oscar, who has overcome a rare hip disorder and now plays and follows soccer with a passion, joined ten children from five nations as part of Chevrolet’s Beautiful Possibilities program, run in conjunction with England’s Manchester United, one of the world’s most famous sporting franchises.
The 11 children took to the field at the famous Old Trafford stadium last Saturday hand-in-hand with each of the starting players in Manchester United’s home game with Leicester City.
Chevrolet, the team’s major sponsor, flew Oscar and the other children to Manchester, where prior to the game they met with players and training staff, took a class at the club’s soccer “school” and had a private tour of Old Trafford.
Tim Mahoney, global marketing director for Chevrolet, said the children had been chosen for “their spirit of never giving up.”
Oscar underwent two high-risk operations before the age of two. His mother said his “passion, perseverance and love of soccer made the difference in overcoming his disability.”
Chevrolet works with local NGOs to identify worthy children, as well as initiating projects in communities to build or revitalize soccer fields.