NI’s homeless footballers take on the world
Legend Gerry gives teams a send-off to Mexico
NORTHERN Ireland’s Homeless World Cup squads were given a send-off by footballing legend Gerry Armstrong yesterday ahead of their tournament in Mexico next week.
The former Northern Ireland striker (64), who is a Street Soccer ambassador, joined around 40 guests at the National Stadium to wish the 18 men and women good luck before they fly to Mexico City on Sunday.
Armstrong, known for scoring the winner against Spain in the 1982 World Cup, said: “A lot of these people find it tough on the streets and anything I feel we can do we have to do. I’ve told as many people as I know and they’ve watched the momentum grow and I’m really pleased the way it’s growing.”
He was asked two-and-a-half years ago to get involved and “thought it was a fantastic idea”.
“It’s about them finding out more about themselves and becoming better people and standing out and that they don’t have to live on the streets. There are opportunities and alternatives and we’re giving them an alternative with good support,” he added.
This year’s Homeless World Cup will see 500 players from 47 countries battle it out from November 13 to 18 in the historic Zocalo square in Mexico City. Each team will play 13, 14-minute matches where the ball does not go out of play.
It is expected the tournament will see crowds of more than 80,000 with millions watching online.
There are 47 men’s squads who compete for six trophies and 16 women’s teams play for two trophies. They can only play in one tournament. It is a four-a-side game on a 16 x 22-metre synthetic turf pitch — with three outfield players, one goalkeeper and four substitutes.
Northern Ireland’s men’s team finished 12th last year in Oslo and the women finished 16th.
The current champions are Brazil who have won the tournament three times since it began in 2003. Mexico have won it twice.
Justin McMinn, manager and co-founder of Street Soccer NI, said: “This trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all the players and a chance to represent your country in an amazing country like Mexico.
“Over the last five years we
have witnessed the impact this event has on the players with many of them breaking out of homelessness and unemployment on their return. They will come back full of confidence and motivation to make positive changes in their lives.
“Some of the players are new to football and just wanted to give it a try and obviously quite a few of them have addictions as well. They’re smoking and drinking a lot, their health isn’t necessarily in the best shape, so it is tough getting them ready but you keep pushing them. Thankfully they’re all committed and kept attending.”
Kathryn Hill, director of active communities division at the Department for Communities, added: “The department is delighted to support Street Soccer NI and the teams travelling to compete and represent Northern Ireland at the Homeless World Cup in Mexico City.
“This experience, together with an intensive wraparound support service, represents a once in a lifetime opportunity for
these players to transform their lives. This project started with 18 individuals and now they are one team. I congratulate everyone on being selected and I wish them every success in Mexico and for their futures.”
Keith Gibson, Football For All Manager at the Irish Football Association who help fund the team with the Department for Communities, the Housing Executive and East Belfast Mission, has been involved with the project from the start.
He said: “It’s all about changing lives, it’s not really about winning football matches in this tournament, despite that being nice. We’re always looking to extend (the project). We have extended widely in the last year to take in more of Belfast — it used to just be one in Belfast and one in Derry but yes if there are other opportunities to work with other hostels and homeless charities, we’re always looking to do that.”