Blind English footballer aims for Paris 2024 alongside educational ambitions

Sporting passion fuels blind footballer Azeem Amir's ambitions on and off the pitch.

As an England international, the 24-year-old is preparing for the International Blind Sports Federation World Games in Birmingham in August and hopes to line up for the Paralympic Games in Paris next year.

Outside of training and matches, Rochdale-based Amir puts his talents to good use running his own disability awareness programme.

Launched two years ago, Learn With ESS (Education, Sport and Speaking) offers interactive sessions for schools, universities, businesses and sports clubs to help people better understand disability in a more fun and engaging.

Amir leads workshops, gives inspirational talks and organizes games, with soccer balls, headbands and other paraphernalia never far away.

"I came up with the idea of ​​giving people a better understanding of disability in a more practical way, through workshops, through an immersive experience," Amir told the PA news agency.

"We use these three elements, education, sport and speaking, to deliver a program that is really practical and hopefully people will come away from with a better understanding of not just a disability, but 'a challenge.

"It's been a little over two years since the idea was on a piece of paper. Thinking about where we are now, it's huge.

"I really hope this grows and we can work with more groups, come up with more ideas, and innovate as we learn, and continue our journey, not just delivering to people , but also by determining what society needs to be better educated.”

Learn With ESS, which has both a business and charity element, has grown significantly and Amir finds himself with a busy schedule to fit his own football into.

A Merseyside Blind FC midfielder, Amir trains up to seven times a week with coaches, either on his game or his physical condition.

With the end of the domestic season, the focus now shifts to international football with Amir named in England's squad for the IBSA World Games last week. With qualifying places for Paris 2024 up for grabs, the excitement is building.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed that this happens,” said Amir, a Manchester United fan. "That would be amazing.

"There's been a big push in the last few months. We've been going to Brazil, France, Romania, playing different tournaments, having training camps, just to prepare for the Games qualifiers. Paralympics.

"I just hope we get lucky and with a little hard work and grafting we can make it happen.

"I love football, I really do. There's no buzz I can think of that replicates it.

"But I don't want to dwell on the outcome. You want to make sure you enjoy every minute, whether it's training locally or representing your country in critical moments."

Amir admits it can be difficult to juggle his twin devotions but, in the end, it's very rewarding.

"It's a challenge, but I have a good family network, good support," he said. "I feel like I'm adding something to the world. I have good people and I love what I do. There's nothing better than that."