Following in the footsteps of Maradona and Messi
|Image: Angelica Ibarra Rodriguez
By Craig Williams
Representing Argentina at the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup is more than a dream come true for Matías Ignacio Canteros.
And to do so while wearing the same armband and Number 10 jersey as Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi have done before him makes the feeling even more special to him.
He said: “It’s an amazing feeling to be here representing my country at the Homeless World Cup in Seoul. It’s my first big tournament.
“I never expected to be chosen as captain and get to wear the number 10 jersey but when I saw the confidence the manager had in me I knew I had to give it my all.”
Like most of the team, Matías hails from the Buenos Aires province of Argentina. And while the team never all knew each other prior to the tournament, they have developed a strong bond during the event.
He said: “The experience so far has been very good. We are having the chance to experience things that are very different to what we are used to in Argentina and we are trying to enjoy ourselves every day.
“The team gets on very well with each other and we try to ensure that what happens on the park stays on the park. It’s a great vibe.”
He said he will try his best to use his experience of being a player as motivation for others in his homeland to do the same.
“We will try to encourage others to join the street soccer programme also and tell them that it isn’t just about playing football.
“There will be lots of guys that will want to be part of the Homeless World Cup and live this experience and we will be an example to them.”
Team Argentina is organised by Hecho Club Social (HCS), the street football subsidiary of Buenos Aires street paper Hech and Matías has been involved with their programme for almost a decade.
He said: “I found out about the street football programme while playing football in my neighbourhood. It was a new challenge for me and it gave me the chance to meet new people. I took a liking to it and now here I am.
Matías credits his mother for helping him pursue his passion for the game, which he developed at a young age.
He said: “Football for me is the biggest thing there is. I’ve played football since I was four years old. My mum always supported my passion for the game. She took me everywhere so I could play football. I want to do the same with my own children.”
Despite some of the team’s matches being broadcast at 4am in Argentina due to the time difference, Matías said the team is benefiting from the support of a lot of people back home. And sporting such an emblematic football jersey has also allowed him and his team to feel the love here in Seoul.
He finished: “It’s amazing to meet so many people from other countries and also feel the love that they have for Argentina.
“When the Bangladesh team saw us in our jerseys they came up to us and they wanted to play football with us. They went crazy. It gives us a lot of joy the fact that people so far away from Argentina love us so much. It’s an honour for us.”
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Words: Craig Williams
Images: Angelica Ibarra Rodriguez