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France features Braille on back of soccer jerseys

Anniversary of inventor’s 200th birthday prompts unusual feature for game

SAINT-ETIENNE, France - France players took the field for Tuesday's friendly against Nigeria with their names written in Braille on the back of their jerseys, marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of French inventor Louis Braille.

Braille, who was born in 1809 and blinded three years later, invented a system used by the blind for reading and writing which has since been adapted to almost every known language.

The French team's initiative is in partnership with the French federation for the blind, and some of the jerseys will be sold at auction.

Nigeria won 1-0 with Joseph Akpala the first-half scorer.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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