Blinds see way to WC glory

SAO PAOLO, Brazil— Brazil’s all-conquering blind footballers kick off their blind world cup campaign Friday knowing they’re not only top dogs — but top targets.

The International Blind Sports Federation’s Blind Football World Championships began in Madrid Thursday and runs through 17 June.

Reigning world and Paralympic champions, the Brazilian team hopes to strike gold yet again, setting the example for their colleagues at the World Cup in Russia.

Brazilian star Ricardinho, who already has three Paralympic golds, says he’s ready to battle for a back-to-back world title, starting with Friday’s game against Mali.

“Everybody wants to take down the reigning champs, Brazil, and we want to get the title again. It will be complicated but we’re going to fight a lot,” he said.

Ricardinho, 29, was born to play soccer. Even as a tiny kid, when he still had good eyesight, admiring neighbors told his father to take him for trials at the big clubs.

However, a problem in his retina that appeared at six-year-old left him totally blind at eight.

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