Brazilian players from a Rio de Janeiro favela find hope and opportunities thanks to soccer

AI Summary

João Victor Gonçalves, a youth from a violent favela in Rio de Janeiro, gained international opportunities through soccer by competing in the Street Child World Cup in Mexico. The tournament features teams of boys from impoverished backgrounds and offers hope through sports ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

When Brazilian João Victor Gonçalves began playing soccer in one of Rio de Janeiro ’s poorest and most violent favelas, little did he know the game would one day allow him to travel abroad and play in an international competition. Last month, along with nine other young boys, he flew to Mexico to represent Brazil in the Street Child World Cup, a tournament with teams from 30 countries composed of boys from impoverished backgrounds, organized ahead of this year’s FIFA World Cup. “I never could have imagined that one day this would happen, that I would represent my country, doing what I most love — playing soccer — in another country,” said Gonçalves, who is 18.