Sometimes you have got to see something to believe it! Such is the case with Indian Internet sensation Shah Huzaib’s trick shot videos that have racked up millions of views on social media.
Huzaib initially intended to play cricket but after a shot at football with his cousins he realised that it was football that he preferred over any other sport.
However, Huzaib just didn’t start playing football, he started doing trick shots in 2018 after rigorous practice for two years.
Hailing from Jammu and Kashmir’s Badgam district Huzaib cites his family as a constant source of encouragement for him.
In July 2016, Huzaib, who was then only 13 years old, started to play football in his yard by himself as he was confined to his home due to the curfew imposed after terrorist Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.
Huzaib continued to play traditional football until he came across some football trick-shot videos on YouTube and then there was no turning back. He was blown away by what one of the guys did and was captivated by his gravity-defying tricks.
Huzaib told The Australia Today that he attempted to replicate some of the tricks himself.
“I was 16-years-old when I performed my first trick shot. I placed a basket, hit the ball on the wall and it fell in the basket. It was a simple trick shot. I play football that’s why it didn’t take me much time.”
That was just the beginning. Huzaib’s trick shot videos have been featured on various social media platforms including sites like ‘Oh My Goal’ and ‘People Are Awesome’ that have a huge following across the globe.
One of his videos on ‘People are Awesome’ went viral with around 5 million views. The video titled ‘Insane trick-shot had Huzaib kicking a tennis ball through two moving tape-rolls.
Huzaib has thousands of followers on various social media platforms and he performs scores of trick-shots using balls of all sizes.
“You can do a perfect trick shot if you know how to juggle the ball. You must have a hold on juggling. Shoot, accuracy, and other calculations are important but juggling is a must for a perfect trick shot.”
Huzaib was chosen for Season 9 of India’s Got Talent. He travelled to Delhi to participate in the contest. This was a learning experience for Huzaib as he realised that big cities offered a potential for recognition for his incredible talent.
His video was recently shared by German footballer Tony Kroos, who plays for Real Madrid, on Instagram.
For Huzaib Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a source of inspiration. He also saw videos of Dude Perfect, an American Entertainment Sports Group, on You Tube, performing football trick shots. This inspired him and he started performing and posting videos on social media.
However, as they say no pain no gain. Huzaib’s phones became a casualty of his passion as his phones would often get smashed by the ball while practising.
Huzaib has mastered around four hundred types of different trick shots. He says it is a time-consuming process that requires intense focus.
“It requires a lot of hard work. You have to practice a lot. You need to do calculations decide the distance, etc. It takes 2-3 hours and a lot of hard work. You need to apply science and physics then a trick is made.”
Huzaib is looking forward to greater exposure and wants to travel across the country showcasing his unique talent. He also hopes that he will receive some assistance from the government so that he can teach his skills to the youth of the valley.
