Martim's Football Journey with Special Olympics and Sporting Clube de Portugal

Martim Maia is a Special Olympics Portugal athlete whose life changed when he discovered his love of football through Special Olympics and a partnership with Sporting Clube de Portugal. For Martim's mother, Sofia Garcia, Sporting Clube de Portugal and Special Olympics are quite simply her definition of love. Isabel Moreira, Head of 'Football for All', at Sporting, says that it was important to the club to give Special Olympics athletes the opportunity to play for a big club. Jorge Lucas, Martim's coach, emphasises the role of sport in the life of Martim and his fellow athletes, "Movement and football help them to integrate into society and feel more fulfilled ... For them, football is the best thing that they have in their lives." Pauleta, Portuguese football legend and now a member of the board of directors of the Portuguese Football Federation, also sees the immense value of sport as a tool for inclusion. He notes, "We have an obligation to work and fight to ensure that football and sport is for everyone." Discover more about Martim's journey and the perspectives of those around him in this feature video, supported by UEFA.