Meet Shah Huzaib, the Kashmiri teenager whose viral football trick shots are amusing many
Shah Huzaib can kick a football from a long distance and through moving tyres and baskets. The videos of his trick shots have been featured on several websites, gaining millions of views.
In football, trick shots basically involve scoring goals by overcoming obstacles and in various styles. It's rare to see footballers engaging in trick shots in India, and even rarer in Kashmir. But Shah Huzaib, a teenager from central Kashmir’s Budgam district, has stunned people with his skills.
Shah (18) can kick a football from a long distance and through moving tyres and baskets. His shots can also knock off small bottles placed on the heads of people, and trick-shots of this nature have made this teenager a social media star.
"Initially I wanted to play cricket but after trying my hand (read feet) at football with my cousins, I started enjoying this sport unlike anything else," says Shah, while talking to YourStory.
Shah Huzaib
After two years of practising rigorously, Shah finally started doing trick shots in 2018. “To do trick shots, you need to know the game very well. So I learnt football first. My family always appreciates my endeavours and it is a constant support system for me,” says Shah, with a smile.
The videos of his trick-shots have also been featured on social media sites including 'Oh My Goal' and 'People Are Awesome' that have a huge following across the globe.
One of his videos titled ‘Insane trick-shot' — in which he kicked a tennis ball through two moving tape-rolls — generated around five million views on ‘People are Awesome’.
With thousands of followers on his various social media accounts, Huzaib performs scores of trick-shots using balls of all sizes.
Discovering trick shots
During the political unrest triggered after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani in July 2016, Shah, then a 13-year-old boy, remained confined inside his home. “However, to kill boredom, I started playing football on my lawn all alone. Since the game requires a team to play, I found a strange way by trying to learn football tricks,” he tells.
He kept playing the traditional form of football until he stumbled over some football trick-shot videos on YouTube. “I was amazed at what one of the guys did. I felt captivated by his gravity-defying tricks. I tried to emulate some of the tricks on my lawn. I fell in love with what he did. I wanted to do the same,” he explains.
Shah adds, “I started practising tricks for hours in the morning and evening before I slowly started getting better at it.”
Possessing an incredible talent for hand-eye coordination, Shah would often perform tricks without looking at the target, which would be behind him.
Shah Huzaib
Looking at the future
He does not let his passion for trick shots affect his academics at all. After scoring distinction in Class X, Huzaib opted to study science for higher studies. The trickster wants to continue his education so that he can combine his love for ‘science and art’ with trick-shots.
Shah now wants to be a star footballer and his favourites on the field are Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, and Isco Alarcon. “On my list of top trick shot stars are Jed Hockin, Liam Coyte and Matanos, all from Europe. I want more trick shot stars to emerge from the valley so that this game gets recognition here.”
Shah pointed out that no government has supported him so far. “I have not received any help from the government so far. Some of the officials only write on social media about helping any talent but no one had come forward to provide help. These people have power and can do anything,” he explains.
He urged the government to provide him with all the facilities so that he can reach the national or international level. “Give me facilities so that I can pass my skills to the youth of our Valley. All those who play football can also understand and learn and play trick shots,” he says.
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Edited by Kanishk Singh
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