Soccer>> Homeless • Mexico
When Ana Aguirre stepped onto the soccer field wearing her green Mexican uniform and scored goals against teams from Brazil and the US, she seemed to have forgotten her sorry life. There were no jobless parents, no addicts, no dead friends and no young men with pistols shoved into their acid-washed jeans. There was only a celebratory noise: fans, commentators, music and the sound of ball being kicked or teammates yelling.
It was just soccer. Aguirre was participating in the weeklong Homeless World Cup which brings together teams from dozens of countries to compete on four-player squads, with each athlete selected according to both talent and need. Ranging in age from their teens to their mid-20s, the players were chosen through a series of interviews over the past year. The selected arrived in Mexico City in mid-September. The Mexican women went on to win the final on October 14, beating Brazil 6-2 with Aguirre scoring twice.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.