Podcast: Nico Calabria on being an amputee soccer player and growing the game

Amputee soccer player Nico Calabria joined 'The Goal' podcast. (Courtesy photo)

The latest guest on New England Soccer Journal’s “The Goal” podcast is captain of the United States Men’s National Amputee Soccer Team, Nico Calabria.

Born without his right leg, Nico grew up in Concord, Mass., and developed a love of sport and the outdoors from an early age. Initially walking with the use of prosthetics, he opted to use forearm crutches for increased mobility. By the age of five, he developed a deep love of soccer, and now also captains the New England Amputee Soccer Association. Debuting at just 16 for his country, he stands as the Stars and Stripes’ top goal-scorer, and was named MVP of the 2022 World Cup qualifying tournament.

Calabria has helped the National Team qualify for the 2026 Amputee World Cup, and he recently competed with the New England Amputee Soccer Team in the U.S. Amputee Cup, which was held in Weymouth, Mass., from Sept. 12-14.

Calabria joined hosts Matt Langone and Matt Doherty to discuss his unique soccer journey and some of his other incredible accomplishments. 

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Here are some highlights from our discussion:

On playing high school soccer at Concord-Carlisle (Mass.) High School:

Calabria: “I definitely saw a lot of folks that had raised eyebrows, getting off the away bus playing for CCHS. ‘Oh, it’s great, it’s nice that they’re letting this kid play. What a feel-good story. Nobody hurt him. Let’s give him some space.’ And then the game will get started and they’ll realize that I’m a threat. Like, you have to guard me. I’m going to play physically. I’m not going to get hurt. So, after the game, the feeling and the look that I get from the other players feels much different than getting off the bus.”

On the general rules of amputee soccer:

Calabria: “Amputee soccer is played 7v7. The six field players all have one leg and forearm crutches. You’re not allowed to touch the ball with the crutches — it’s called like a handball rule. In non-disabled soccer, you’re not allowed to use your residual limb. So the leg that you’re missing — some people are below the knee, some are above the knee — you’re not allowed to either touch the ball or the ground. So, basically you move on the crutches on one leg and you strike the ball with one foot. Instead of throw-ins, it’s indirect kick-ins. There’s no offsides and the goalkeepers have one arm and are required to stay in the 8×8 goalie box, so there are a lot of rebounds. Really, it’s extremely fast and physical. I think people are surprised by the level of physicality.”

On a long-term vision for amputee soccer:

Calabria: “The major goal is to have a robust league that has regional programs and those would be affiliated with Major League Soccer and NWSL franchises. And within those programs, having programming for youth and men and women, also people at the recreational level and the competitive level. Right now, because we don’t have all of those programs set up or the numbers to do it, it’s kind of all put into one, which makes it difficult to develop a recreational player or give them a space that’s like, ‘this is fun, I’m doing this because I enjoy playing soccer and I want to keep playing.'”

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