You might be shocked, surprised, dismayed, pinching yourself after hearing this news that India won the Football World Championship. Let me wake you up from your flight of fancy and tell you "this is indeed the truth." Believe it or not, India had won the inaugural Deloitte Street Child World Championship 2010 in Durban, South Africa by beating Tanzania 1-0 in the final on March 23rd 2010. I know it would be a great utopia when India would at least qualify for the finals of FIFA World Cup.
The Deloitte Street Child World Cup is a global partnership led by Amos Trust. The Consortium for Street Children, Street Action, Momentum Arts, Global Goals, and Child Rights Information Network are providing key expertise and support. The event was hosted in Durban by Umthombo Street Children and the Durban University of Technology. Many famous personalities endorsed this initiative such as Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, Theo Walcott, Andri
y Shevchenko, etc.
There were total of eight participating nations in this first edition. The teams were Action for Brazil’s Children; Casa Alianza, Nicaragua; De Paul International, Ukraine; A network of partners, Philippines; Khalsa Football Academy and their Punjab based partners, India; Koto, Vietnam (catering); and Caretakers of the Environment (Tanzania). The main aim was to launch a new call for street children’s basic rights to be respected.
The team India was represented by YFC Rurka Kalan and the Khalsa Football Academy. The tournament rules stated that a girl representative should be included in all the teams. Because YFC Rurka Kalan do not at present provide soccer initiatives and development work for girls, in order to stay in the sprit of the game The KFA’s Global network partnered up with New West secondary school who provided three Indian girls with no experience in football to make up the team.
The first game for India was against the host, South Africa, whom they beat 4-0. The second game India lost to Nicaragua by 0-1. The third game India beat Ukraine by a thumping goal margin of 8-0. In the Semi-Final, India played against England which India won by 3-1. In the finals, India met Tanzanaia whom the beat 1-0 by a goal from Manpreet Singh via penalty kick.
THE SQUAD
Team Management
Bal Singh, Rupinder Bahel, Gurmangal
Indian Coach
Kulwant Singh
Players
Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Kalia, Gaurav Kumar, Narinderjit Singh, Amritpal Singh, Kulvir Singh, Jatinder Singh, Ramandip Kumar, Manpreet Kumar, Alareece Gisele Gaffoor, Leah Naidoo, Shrimal Umichand.
The Deloitte Street Child World Cup is a global partnership led by Amos Trust. The Consortium for Street Children, Street Action, Momentum Arts, Global Goals, and Child Rights Information Network are providing key expertise and support. The event was hosted in Durban by Umthombo Street Children and the Durban University of Technology. Many famous personalities endorsed this initiative such as Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, Theo Walcott, Andri
y Shevchenko, etc.There were total of eight participating nations in this first edition. The teams were Action for Brazil’s Children; Casa Alianza, Nicaragua; De Paul International, Ukraine; A network of partners, Philippines; Khalsa Football Academy and their Punjab based partners, India; Koto, Vietnam (catering); and Caretakers of the Environment (Tanzania). The main aim was to launch a new call for street children’s basic rights to be respected.
The team India was represented by YFC Rurka Kalan and the Khalsa Football Academy. The tournament rules stated that a girl representative should be included in all the teams. Because YFC Rurka Kalan do not at present provide soccer initiatives and development work for girls, in order to stay in the sprit of the game The KFA’s Global network partnered up with New West secondary school who provided three Indian girls with no experience in football to make up the team.
The first game for India was against the host, South Africa, whom they beat 4-0. The second game India lost to Nicaragua by 0-1. The third game India beat Ukraine by a thumping goal margin of 8-0. In the Semi-Final, India played against England which India won by 3-1. In the finals, India met Tanzanaia whom the beat 1-0 by a goal from Manpreet Singh via penalty kick.
THE SQUAD
Team Management
Bal Singh, Rupinder Bahel, Gurmangal
Indian Coach
Kulwant Singh
Players
Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Kalia, Gaurav Kumar, Narinderjit Singh, Amritpal Singh, Kulvir Singh, Jatinder Singh, Ramandip Kumar, Manpreet Kumar, Alareece Gisele Gaffoor, Leah Naidoo, Shrimal Umichand.
Team India and the squad made history by lifting the trophy of Deloitte Street Child Football World Cup. Now this World Cup will be a usual event in the FIFA Football Calendar to be played before any FIFA World Cup and to be hosted by the same FIFA World Cup host nation. We in India including the football fraternity did not have an inkling of such event being played as there was no much media attention. But Deloitte along with Amos Trust did try to spread this awareness in India by rallying on a rickshaw and disseminating the message throughout India.
The Indian Consulate General in South Africa, Mr. Anil Sharan met the Indian team at The Moses Mabhida Stadium where Potugual will play Brazil in the FIFA World Cup. The venue was used to provide a platform for youngsters to voice there concerns. Anil was so impressed with Team Indias victory he invited the team to the Indian General HeadQuarters and presented the team with gifts and dinner.
The Indian Consulate General in South Africa, Mr. Anil Sharan met the Indian team at The Moses Mabhida Stadium where Potugual will play Brazil in the FIFA World Cup. The venue was used to provide a platform for youngsters to voice there concerns. Anil was so impressed with Team Indias victory he invited the team to the Indian General HeadQuarters and presented the team with gifts and dinner.
Even after winning the Street Child Football World Championship by India, there was no much hullabaloo by any section of the media. Such big achievement met with an almost inanimate publicity. Neither the Government nor the NGO applauded this victory in any form, whereas, in Philippines the team was given a VIP reception. India albeit winning the trophy has to experience a subdued welcome. I believe if this Team India would have been endorsed by some famous personalities then this achievement would have been known by most of us who as of now get this news as a shock of their life.
Sir Alex’s letter to Deloitte Street Child World Champions
Football is a sport like no other. Throw down a football on a dusty roadside in Brazil or a parched pitch in Africa and see what happens. At once, players are united in the magic of the game no matter what their colour, creed or class.
Of course at the top level of the game, there are great rewards and great trophies to be won. But we should never ever forget the grassroots of the game, nor overlook the ability of football to help deliver social change and progress. It is not just about the superstars and the teams and players known the world over. It is about what sport can do to raise people’s hopes and expectations.
All eyes will be on the World Cup in South Africa. But I am delighted the country has already staged another World Cup – the inaugural Street Child World Cup. I was pleased to be able to support the project when it was first launched, and I am thrilled that it has gone so well. My heartfelt congratulations to India for winning.
But I believe everyone who has been in Durban will have learned something about themselves, about the world, and about the role of football as a force for good.
Best wishes,
Alex Ferguson
Football is a sport like no other. Throw down a football on a dusty roadside in Brazil or a parched pitch in Africa and see what happens. At once, players are united in the magic of the game no matter what their colour, creed or class.
Of course at the top level of the game, there are great rewards and great trophies to be won. But we should never ever forget the grassroots of the game, nor overlook the ability of football to help deliver social change and progress. It is not just about the superstars and the teams and players known the world over. It is about what sport can do to raise people’s hopes and expectations.
All eyes will be on the World Cup in South Africa. But I am delighted the country has already staged another World Cup – the inaugural Street Child World Cup. I was pleased to be able to support the project when it was first launched, and I am thrilled that it has gone so well. My heartfelt congratulations to India for winning.
But I believe everyone who has been in Durban will have learned something about themselves, about the world, and about the role of football as a force for good.
Best wishes,
Alex Ferguson
APPEAL
I request the Indian Government, NGOs, State Governments to at least recognize this achievement of these brave warriors who from nowhere has waived the victorious Indian flag on the foreign soil and made all our Indians proud. By this victory, our footballers also announced to the world that we Indians are not just sleeping giants but a great force knocking on World Football.
I wish these youngsters a great future and also wish them to be the ambassadors for the upliftment of the street children’s of India.
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