Brazilian boy, 13, born with no FEET shows off his football skills ahead of World Cup

As he skillfully controls the ball in front of an expectant crowd, Gabriel Muniz looks like any other footballer his age.

But unlike his teammates, the 13-year-old from Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil, was born without any feet.

Now Gabriel - who started playing football when he was eight - has been chosen to showcase his skills at an event in Hong Kong, to promote next month's World Cup in Brazil. 

Unique player: Football star Gabriel Muniz, from Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil, was born with limb deficiency apodia, which meant his feet did not develop

Determined: The 13-year-old, who has played since he was eight, was seen performing his soccer skills in a shopping centre in Hong Kong, as part of a promotional event for the upcoming World Cup

The teenager showed off his solo skills at a shopping centre and will also play in a three-a-side match later this week, as part of the run-up to the global tournament.

Gabriel was born with a limb deficiency called apodia, which meant his feet did not develop.

But the young boy was so determined to walk that he took his first steps when he was around ten months old.

Soon, the budding footballer was kicking a ball around, joining the local football team at his school and even winning medals, according to his mother Sandra.

Now, Gabriel wears prosthetic limbs most days, but he goes without them during a game.

Gabriel's skills were deemed to be so impressive that he also caught the eye of FC Barcelona in 2012 - and was invited along to a training camp to play against abled-bodied footballers.

Dribbling skills: The young star caught the eye of bosses at Barcelona FC and was invited along to a training session in 2012 to play against able-bodied footballers

The footballer wears his prosthetic limbs on a day-to-day basis, but takes them off when he plays football

That came following a trial at the football club's training academy in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro.

Last year, a TV series followed the story of Gabriel's perseverance and saw him meeting his footballing hero Lionel Messi, the Argentine superstar.

In a previous interview, his mother said: 'He started walking before he was one. We would go after him, expecting him to keep falling, but he never fell.'

Gabriel's gym teacher Jose Lopes added: 'He is challenging the social norms. When he arrived there [at the Barcelona academy], no-one believed in him.

'But he proved to everyone there he can go head to head with any other boy. So much so that he was invited to go to Spain to showcase his talent.'