Zlatan Ibrahimovic surprised the 12 members of Wild Boars team. Photo / YouTube
Zlatan Ibrahimovic surprised the 12 members of Wild Boars team. Photo / YouTube
The Thai youth soccer team and their coach whose plight gripped the world after they became trapped in a flooded cave relived their harrowing ordeal on The Ellen Show.
The 12 members of the Wild Boars team and their 25-year-old Coach Ekkapol Ake Chantawong gave their first group television interview in an episode of the show airing on Monday.
Coach Ake told Ellen that the boys weren't afraid and always had hope they would be rescued after they became trapped in the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand on June 23.
After the interview, they were treated to surprise visit from LA Galaxy star Zlatan Ibrahimovic – the team's soccer idol – who praised their teamwork and branded them "the best team in the world".
The boys revealed that they are all healthy and that remembered nothing of the daring rescue mission that freed them all more than two weeks later.
The team also revealed to host Ellen DeGeneres that four of the boys had birthdays while trapped inside the cave, but none of them celebrated.
Through a Thai translator, Coach Ake explained how he taught the children to pray and meditate to remain calm and conserve energy as they waited to be rescued.
He said he had planned to take the youngsters inside the cave, a popular tourist attraction, for just an hour.
"The cave is usually a tourist attraction anyway so some of the boys have never been in so they decided to go in just to see what it is like," the translator said.
"They decided to go in for just an hour but it took them longer than that."
One of the boys added that it was only when they tried to emerge after an hour exploring the cave that they saw the water had risen too high and they wouldn't be able to get out.
"They were scared and they always had hope and they know that if they don't come out eventually someone will have to come and get them out," Coach Ake added.
The team explained how they were trapped inside without food because they'd left their belongings outside and only took mobile phones and torches with them.
They also revealed that they were forced to drink water that was dripping off stalactites because the water on the cave floor was dirty.
They said they realised how many days had passed because one of the boys had a watch which stated the time and date.
The boys said that they don't remember their rescues – which took eight hours each – because they were sedated at the time.
Coach Ake said they weren't aware of how their plight had made headlines around the world until they were freed.
"They didn't know anything, but they knew a lot of people were watching and supporting them when they got to the hospital," he said.
Now that they are free, the boys all have the same goal.
"They all want a good education and have good jobs and be professional soccer players so they can take care of their families," the translator explained.
After Ellen presented the team with soccer jersey with her face emblazoned on them, she brought on Ibrahimovic to meet the team.
The Swedish player high-fived each member of the team, before saying: "These kids, this team is more braver than me and they showed their collective teamwork and had patience, faith.
"This is probably the best team in the world."
He presented each of them with his jersey and other LA Galaxy gear and invited them to a private practice with his teammates. Ellen also presented them with VIP tickets to an LA Galaxy game.
A daring operation was launched to reach the boys when they became stranded with their coach more than two miles deep inside the Tham Luang cave network on June 23.
They spent 18 days marooned in the dark enclave – their exit cut off by a flash flood – before specialist dive teams guided them out one-by-one.
The team and their coach were fitted with oxygen face masks and led through the flooded tunnels using guide ropes, in an operation that ended on July 10.
Details of the incident are still captivating the public and the boys have since received invites from all over the world.
They were in Buenos Aires earlier this month, where they played a match against an Argentinian youth soccer team and participated in the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games.
