Outsiders upset the odds as Homeless World Cup kicks off with spectacular ceremony in Seoul
|Romania at the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup Opening Parade Image: Anita Milas
On Saturday morning, as the storm clouds cleared over the skies of Seoul, footballers from every corner of the globe paraded their patriotism with pride around the stadium at the Korean capital’s Hanyang University. South Africans danced. Italians waved il Tricolore. Australians bounced along with inflatable kangaroos. Many of the 450 players hadn’t left their home towns before, let alone boarded a plane to a new continent to represent their country on the football field. But while national pride abounded in the opening ceremony, the 38 nations are united by one bond: the power of sport to help humans overcome the biggest of obstacles.
|South Korean player Fossi Wandi scored the opening goal against Germany at the Homeless World Cup. Image: Rebecca Corbett
|The Italian team waved and wore il Tricolore Image: Anita Milas
Alongside the player participation in the opening ceremony, spectators in the stands were treated to a Korean pungmulnori, a traditional performance dating back centuries and used to wish a good harvest to all who watch. And in the first game of Seoul 2024, the Korean men’s team took the spirit of the show to heart, putting in a composed performance to beat Germany 4-0. The name of Fossi Wandi will now forever be etched in Homeless World Cup history, the Korean player showing real resilience to score the first goal of the tournament by slotting home a rebounded shot past the German goalkeeper a minute after missing a penalty.
The women’s team from Romania have placed third in both previous tournaments- Sacramento 2023 and Cardiff 2019. A 7-0 win against Sweden in the women’s opening game will have them hoping that maybe this time they can take a trophy back to Bucharest. American goalkeeper Mandalay Na had a debut to remember, saving a remarkable barrage of nearly 30 shots from the Indian attackers to help the USA to hold out 4-3 winners. Somehow, Na’s self-painted stars and stripes nails remained unchipped.
As the action continued, the rankings in the men’s tournament were paid scant regard. Straight from shaking their stuff in the opening ceremony, the South Africans shocked four time champions Mexico. Not to be outdone, the boys in green from Ireland beat double winners Brazil while last year’s hosts USA bested the Portuguese thanks to a penalty shoot-out.
The stories weren’t just the preserve of the pitch. Darline Bell-Zuccarelli from Maryland, USA, travelled to Seoul to see a world cup in the flesh for the first time. After a kidney transplant last year, Darline’s dealing with end stage renal failure. Her life expectancy is short. The 64 year old has made a ‘peaceful bucket list’ to tick through over the coming weeks and months. Near the top of the list is ‘helping people experiencing homelessness’. Like the 450 players making their home in Seoul this week, she’s in the right place.
Words: Daniel Tyte