Are you a girl with short hair.? Well, then I am sorry to say that you can’t play soccer. Wait, that doesn’t sound right. Except, that’s exactly what happened to an eight-year-old girl named Mili Hernandez.
Mili and her team were in the finals of a local tournament held in Nebraska. The team was disqualified, however, before they could compete. Now, this may sound weird, but the Organizers actually thought Mili was a boy because of her short hair.
Via YouTube
Her parents were ready to provide proof of her gender. However, the Organizers didn’t listen. Even Mili Hernandez commented on that. “When they look at me, they think I’m a boy but I’m really not.”
Abby Wambach, a great U.S Soccer player called Mili ‘inspiring’ and a ‘natural born leader’.
Mili, don't EVER let anyone tell you that you aren't perfect just as you are.i won championships with short hair https://t.co/WlfL3EIPic
— Abby Wambach (@AbbyWambach) June 5, 2017
“You can do anything you want to do and you can be anything you want to be, And guess what? You can look like whatever you need to look like to do it.”
Two-time world champion Mia Hamm was also quick to support the eight-year-old. She invited her to come to her Soccer Academy Camp.
Hey Mili, we would love to host you at one of our camps @TeamFirstSA . Be you!
— Mia Hamm (@MiaHamm) June 5, 2017
It continued to grow as many professional soccer players started to message her.
Australia’s Lydia Williams said as she posted a picture of herself with short hair. “Guess I should have been disqualified too.”
@SInow @AbbyWambach Guess I should've been disqualified too….🤷🏽♀️Keep doing you Mili #shorthairdontcare pic.twitter.com/2yPzC4OBUy
— Lydia Williams (@lydsaussie) June 5, 2017
I'll second that #shorthairdontcare ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/Ayi1bjl9l4
— Maddy Evans (@Mevans018) June 6, 2017
And me… #suitelifeofzacandcody 😂 I'm with Mili 👦🏼👱🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/tEEdEC1H5O
— Rachel Daly (@RachelDaly3) June 6, 2017
#BecauseShortHairStillDoesntCare
#BecauseShortHairStillDoesntCare #ImWithMili pic.twitter.com/trEXOZyY4I
— Haley Carter (@H_C_Carter) June 6, 2017
Guess I should've been disqualified too.. Keep going Mili #Shorthairdontcare pic.twitter.com/Ykx92PXcar
— Janine Van Wyk (@Janinevanwyk5) June 6, 2017
They might have just said that because of all the backlash that they received. They claimed the mistake was because of a misprint on the team’s roster. Whether you believe them or not. Mili and her team still couldn’t play in the tournament because of this ‘mistake’.
Although, It did bring the world’s greatest soccer players together in one eight-year-olds support. And, that is a beautiful thing that nobody is going to forget soon.