Mili Hernandez has been offered to play in Mia Hamm’s camp. (Source: Reuters)
A local soccer club and their eight-year-old player were disqualified from a tournament because of bizarre reasons like ‘looking like a boy’. The news even grabbed the attention of American soccer legend Mia Hamm who offered her a place in her own camp.
The girl Mili Hernandez, who plays for the Azzuri-Cachorros Chicas, said that she was disqualified for the way she looks. “They only did it because I look like a boy,” Mili told WOWT 6 News.
The team had succeeded to the final of the Springfield Girls Soccer Invitational but suddenly saw themselves disqualified after the organisers believed that she was a boy, probably because she had the shortest haircut in the team.
Her coach Mo Farivari was all praise for the player, saying that she has a bright future ahead of her. “She’s a great player. She has a big future ahead of her,” said Farivari.
Organisers however said that it was a typo on the team roster that was the reason behind her disqualification and not the way she looked.
“Hey Mili, we would love to host you at one of our camps @TeamFirstSA. Be you!” wrote Mia Hamm.
FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Abby Wambach took out a video message on Instagram for Mili. She said in her message, “Dear Mili Hernandez, you are amazing in every way. Thank you for teaching us how to be brave and shining a light on something so hurtful. If you don’t know, she is my new hero. Her team was disqualified from a tourney cause they thought she was a boy because of a clerical error that wasn’t handled properly. Let’s meet soon sister.”
The Springfield player’s family also claimed that The Nebraska State Soccer Association disqualified the team due to her looks.
