In the run-up to the Cerebral Palsy Football World Cup finals in Spain we are highlighting the players who will be competing for Northern Ireland at the International Federation of CP Football (IFCPF) tournament.
RELATED: Northern Ireland Cerebral Palsy squad gearing up for World Cup
Name: Ryan Neill.
Age: 27.
Home city/town: Lisburn (Ravernet).
How long have you been playing football? Since the age of 11.
Which club do you play for? United NI Football Club along with the Northern Ireland CP team and Lisburn Special Olympics.
Position? I usually operate at right back.
Any previous clubs? None.
Favourite team/s? Northern Ireland and Liverpool.
Favourite player/s – who inspires you? Steven Davis and Steven Gerrard.
Do you play/like any other sports apart from football? Swimming (Special Olympics).
Who are the best team you have played against? Ukraine.
What’s the best pitch you have played on? Training pitches in the Netherlands.
What’s the best stadium you have visited? The Camp Nou in Barcelona.
Most difficult opponent – who is the best player you have come up against? He played for the Netherlands.
Any other interesting facts about you that we should know? I have won many trophies for football, including player of the year for Special Olympics and player of the tournament at the George Best Cup in Belfast. I also like music and James Bond movies and I am an avid Northern Ireland fan.
The CP World Cup finals are due to kick off in Salou on Sunday (1 May) and will run until 16 May. Northern Ireland are currently ranked 20th in the world in the seven-a-side Cerebral Palsy game. It will be Northern Ireland’s third appearance at the IFCPF tournament. They finished in 14th place in England in 2015 and 11th in Argentina in 2017.
