September 8th, 2009

Bongiorno!

The first day in Milan was fantastic. We started at a press conference with Mel Young, the founder of the Homeless World Cup. It was held in the middle of town, across from the famed Duomo–a beautiful, historic neighborhood.

The team arrived safe and sound and bursting with energy! Everyone is excited to be here–perhaps no one more than Martin Afrika. He officially made it to Milan and is beyond ecstatic to be here, representing his country. The players are all good friends and connect well, referring to each other as brothers.

All 49 teams and 500 players met last night for the official match draw. The room was buzzing with team chants, dances and posing for photos. The players from all teams are rooming together, so they’ve begun to build friendships already and enjoyed celebrating together. South Africa will play their first game against Nigeria–a strong team. Wish them luck!