Children play crucial role in World Cup tournaments
The world’s greatest soccer fiesta, the World Cup, has been a key attraction to millions of people across the world.
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The tournament, which is held every four years, is one major event that is closely followed by people of all ages, no matter their ethnic or religious background. No sporting event can be compared to the World Cup.
The great soccer event even surpasses the Olympics in terms of popularity, size and spectacle. Described as the beautiful game, the World Cup tournament is enjoyed by people with varied backgrounds and various persuasions.
The game, which is rotated from continent to continent, brings together countries from the six federations under the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), organisers of the global event.
Brief history
Uruguay hosted the first FIFA World Cup. However, only 13 countries were invited to participate in the event because of the cost of travelling to the South American country. The host country, Uruguay, defeated Argentina to lift the first trophy.
For the past 84 years — 1930 to 2014 — a total of 20 tournaments have been held. The next World Cup would be held in Russia in 2018, to be followed by Qatar hosting the 2022 event.
Ghana’s participation
Although Ghana had played several World Cup qualifiers, the country was able to make its first World Cup appearance at the 2006 event in Germany. In that competition, Ghana lost to Italy in the first match but was able to progress to the next stage after defeating the Czech Republic and the USA.
Ghana again qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The Black Stars, this time, were able to get to the quarter finals only to lose out on penalties to Uruguay. The team’s participation in the 2014 Mundial (World Cup) currently underway in Brazil is the third successive time Ghana is participating in the contest.
Ghana, which has won the African Cup of Nations on four occasions, had to rely on players such as former Skipper of the national team, Stephen Appiah; Sulley Ali Muntari; current team captain, Asamoah Gyan; former Skipper, John Mensah; Richard Kingson and John Paintsil to make her first World Cup appearance.
Children at World Cup
Children have always played a key part in the tournament. Before every World Cup match, as well as any football match, children escort the players of the competing teams to the field of play. They hold the hands of the players as they lead them to the field. The children, who are between six and 10 years, are picked from SOS Villages across the world.
Apart from escorting the players, children also hold the FIFA flag with the fair play logo embossed on it. It is also reported that Ghana and AC Milan midfielder, Muntari, visited a disadvantaged community in Brazil and handed out money to the poor children there.
Brazil tournament
The Brazil tournament has offered children more opportunities to have a feel of the tournament. Notable among such children are those from the Kotobabi ‘5’ Primary School team which won the first edition of the Omo Fantastic Five Soccer Challenge, whose ultimate prize package included a trip to Brazil to watch the World Cup. The team was sponsored by Unilever Ghana, the organisers of the competition.
Players of the team and the school’s sports secretary were in Brazil recently in fulfillment of the prize package. Apart from watching matches, the team went on sightseeing, shopping, among other things.
In separate interviews with the Junior Graphic, the players expressed excitement at being part of history by travelling to Brazil to watch some of the 2014 World Cup matches.