Not just for Netflix: England’s beautiful game plays out like a movie script in Seoul
|England are represented by Street Soccer London for the first time at the Homeless World Cup. Image: Anita Milas
While the stands in Seoul’s Hanyang University have been filled with hundreds of supporters, millions of people around the world watched a movie inspired by the Homeless World Cup this year.
The Beautiful Game hit the Netflix global top five chart this spring, and in the Korean sunshine on Sunday, England’s men’s team did their best to emulate actors Bill Nighy, Micheal Ward and Callum Scott-Howells with performances on the pitch.
After a cagey 0-0 draw against Bulgaria in the morning’s game, England did something their footballers haven’t always been renowned for; they won a penalty shoot-out.
Just a few hours later, they took to the pitch against the Korean hosts. Unlike their professional counterparts, these internationals become used to a quick turnaround between ties. Despite their ranking as the lowest but one team, England’s players rose again to the occasion. Rangy striker Gago Banak cooly finished to put the Three Lions ahead, before setting up Courtney McEwan for the second. McEwan repaid the favour minutes later, patiently play finding Banak in space to score again and put England three up. He took his tally to four by the end of the game as the hosts were defeated 7-0.
But it wasn't all one way traffic. Fresh from the morning’s penalty shoot-out heroics, 50 year old keeper Martin Farrelly took it all in his stride. You wouldn’t know he only joined the squad six weeks ago: “I wasn’t worried. I know my potential and I know the team’s potential.” If his team keeps it up, Netflix might just have to commission a sequel.
|Megan Neill won the game for Northern Ireland in the dying seconds of the match. Photo: Anita Milas
Even though many of the players in Seoul are far from home, local rivalries are still rearing their head. In the day’s first game, Ireland faced a familiar foe in their neighbours to the north. A tense game looked to be ending 1-1 until the last seconds. That’s when Megan Neill scored the winning goal in the last seconds for Northern Ireland against Ireland to win 2-1. It meant a lot. “To score the winning goal and put a smile on everyone’s face and how I felt myself and for my family and friends and everyone else back home it was brilliant. We’ve never really beaten Ireland before so to do it on pitch 1 at the Homeless World Cup is unbelievable for Northern Ireland.”
|Northern Ireland and Ireland hand in hand after the match Image: Anita Milas
But the victories at the Homeless World Cup aren’t only about the scoresheet. The FIFPRO Fair Play Award is handed out daily to the team embodying the spirit of fair play. Homeless World Cup president Mel Young handed the award out, and said: “We can talk about who the favourites are to win the football, like Mexico or Brazil. When you can then talk about who the favourites are to win the FIFPRO Fair Play Award on the first day? That would be Australia.”
|Australia won the first FIFPRO Fair Play Awards of Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup. Image: Anita Milas
The Street Socceroos have a history of playing fair at Homeless World Cups, bringing good humour and humanity to everything they do. And that’s what the Homeless World Cup is all about.
Words: Daniel Tyte
Photos: Anita Milas