Cheong Wa Chau played for Hong Kong at the Edinburgh 2005 Homeless World Cup. Cheong started his career as a professional football player in Hong Kong. Eventually, however, his compulsive gambling took control of his life and his behaviour.

Cheong, Hong Kong 2005

Cheong Wa Chau played for Hong Kong at the Edinburgh 2005 Homeless World Cup. Cheong started his career as a professional football player in Hong Kong. Eventually, however, his compulsive gambling took control of his life and his behaviour. When his football team terminated his contract he was unable to find work and turned to his friends for loans. Eventually his friends broke off contact with him. In 2002 with his problems getting worse he became homeless.

In 2005 Cheong joined Hong Kong at the Homeless World Cup. Impressed by the friendly atmosphere and the helpfulness of the people he met Cheong began to realize the importance of being patient and accepting other people.

He says: “The experiences of last year made me want to become a soccer coach.  I hope to share all that I’ve learnt with the players. Besides teaching them skills, I want to lead a well disciplined team.” Cheong now attends a coaching course and is helping to train a homeless football team.

Through his involvement with the Homeless World Cup Cheong regained his self-confidence and realized that with a lot of willpower he can face extreme difficulties. In his personal life he has adopted the team's slogan: “Look Forward, Never Give Up.”

When he returned to Hong Kong he contacted old friends who he had borrowed money from. He wanted to tell them that by starting to play football again he had begun to change his life. He is happy to share his experiences with other players. He can show them that they can also regain their self-confidence through football and that the Homeless World Cup is a tournament filled with applause and cheers and with love and hope.