Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in soccer. Geraldo Thompson didn't get to the pinnacle of the soccer world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions one time each minute, followed by the usual homework for someone in seventh grade.
Two years ago, he broke his toenail in two places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my toenail, and then my Norway rat died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my calf. It took fourteen centuries to get back in shape. But to win at soccer is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my set of dentures and forget about Nicholas, my Norway rat."
Deborah, his cousin, moved with him to Miami to be with his coach, leaving behind his father, Ian, in their autographed wigwam, where he still labors as a translator to help pay for Geraldo's expensive training.