Valdagno , Italy ( CNN ) -- It may not attract the TV audiences , armchair pundits and tasty endorsement deals that football does , but for Pedro Gil , roller hockey is everything . `` I live for this sport , '' he says . `` It 's a low profile sport , it 's small , but for me it 's the greatest thing of all . '' As captain of Spain 's roller hockey team , Pedro Gil has won five World Cups , seven consecutive European Championships and three Nations Cups . Last year , Gil was decorated by the Spanish government for his services to sport , and invited to kick off a Real Madrid game . He has now represented his country for 13 years and says , `` to wear your national team shirt is an indescribable , special moment . '' More from Human to Hero : 'Lucky ' F1 driver lost both legs and triumphed with Paralympic gold . Roller hockey is played throughout Europe and North America , but is dominated by Portugal and Spain , who have won 15 world titles apiece since 1936 . Played with a ball ( rather than a puck ) , on quad skates ( rather than inline ) , and with rules similar to those of polo ( rather than ice hockey ) , it is played at breakneck speeds . `` Last year there was a study which said that a shot with a stick in roller hockey is around 120 km [ 75mph ] per hour , '' Gil says . `` At 120 or 130 km per hour , you would hope we would score a goal ! '' Gil began playing when he was four years old , the first in his family to take up the sport , which is especially popular in his native Catalonia . `` We used to live opposite the roller hockey rink in my village , '' he says . `` One day I asked my parents to register me , and since then I started and never stopped ! `` Every Saturday and Sunday , I went with my brother after he was born , and we were always at the rink playing . '' By the age of 16 , Gil was playing for Spain 's winning team in the European Youth Cup , winning in front of a crowd of 8,000 . He was 21 when he played his first World Cup match , beating Argentina on their home turf . `` I think those are my two most cherished memories of my sporting career , '' he says . More from Human to Hero : Chinese sculptor Xiang Jing 's painful search for truth . The secret to Gil 's success is devastatingly simple : `` Always try to improve . '' `` For me , sport , first and foremost , is work . I 've worked hard since I was a child , and working hard to perfect your best attributes is important -- because we all have weak points . Training each day on the weak points improves you as an all-round player . '' `` I never thought I would make anything of myself , and I 've been fortunate to get where I am through hard work , '' he says . `` I do n't know who I can thank ... I suppose myself , for my constant work and dedication . '' Being one of the best players in the world only motivates Gil to train harder , he says . `` I feel a great responsibility . I got here through lots of work and lots of training , and lots of sacrifices . '' Being captain also confers responsibility -- that of having `` to show why you 're captain . '' Gil says he has to be the first to training and must take novice players under his wing . Above all , he says , `` as captain , you 're defending your country ! '' Although his dedication to roller hockey is absolute , Gil does allow himself one `` vice : '' He has more than 40 tattoos , including one depicting his old shirt number ( nine ) . `` I started when I was very young , and bit by bit I continued with my vice , '' he says . `` It shows my personality , my thoughts -- strong symbols , which represent the fact that I am a strong person and that I like to work hard and be strong . '' Having played for Spanish and Portuguese clubs , Gil this year joined an Italian club he describes as `` small in size , but huge in ambition : '' Valdagno is a small mountain village in the north of Italy . `` It 's a tiny place , but very welcoming , and crazy about roller hockey , '' Gil says . `` It 's the biggest sport in the town , which was my motivation for coming here . '' At 32 , Gil says , he is `` getting on a bit , '' but intends to continue playing for as long as possible . `` Why not , if the coach still believes in me ? If I can play until I 'm 34 , that would be great ... the more years , the happier I 'll be . '' `` I would like to continue , and to help the team to more victories . I will never get tired of winning . It 's the best thing of all . It 's why we train every day . ''
Pedro Gil is one of the greatest roller hockey players in the world . He has lead Spain to five World Cup victories and seven consecutive European championships . He says sport is work , and his success is due to daily training . The first time I met him was at a tournament for young skaters in Madrid when he was just 19 years old. He has more than 40 which he says represent his strength .