Human Interest

“The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled. Each evening we see the sun set. We know that the earth is turning away from it. Yet the knowledge, the explanation, never quite fits the sight.” 

― John Berger, Ways of Seeing

For Brazilian photojournalist Gabriel Uchida, football has always been in the blood. It's been ever-present throughout his life; the fixed ground upon which he stands while his profession and search for greater understanding drives him across the planet.

Sparta Prague found themselves in the headlines for all the wrong reasons last weekend. Following a match between Sparta and Zbrojovka Brno, a match Sparta lost in acrimonious circumstances, two players for the Prague based club responded by making sexist comments towards assistant referee Lucie Ratajova.

Former non-league players Shaun Whiter and Joey Abbs were changing a tire when they were hit in a hit-and-run incident. Whiter lost both his legs and Abbs sufferes serious leg injuries.

The pair got help in their recovery effort from an unlikely source: the best player in the world, Lionel Messi.

Messi donated a signed shirt to be auctioned off when ambridge United host a Football Family Day on October 9.

Jeferson da Conceicao Goncalves, commonly known as Jefinho, helped Brazil to their fourth straight gold medal in football 5-a-side at the Paralympic Games. The man who’s drawn comparisons to Pele and Neymar is blind as a result of glaucoma, but his ability on the ball is simply breathtaking.

Francesco Totti is an icon, having played for Roma for the entirety of his lengthy and successful career. Totti is in his last season for Roma, and he turned 40 years old Tuesday. Lionel Messi, the current best player in the world, sent Totti a nice message.

Former Italian national team forward Paolo Rossi celebrated his 60th birthday Thursday. With his hat trick at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, Rossi not only managed to push Italy to glory but also gave a name to his biography, published in 2002: "I Made Brazil Cry".

Brazil was the heavy favorite of that World Cup. Players like Zico, Socrates, Paulo Roberto Falcao, Toninho Cerezo and Eder were part of that Brazilian National Team.