Edinburgh 2005 - Player Quotes
Ricardo Arma, Captain Italy, Homeless World Cup Champions
“Playing in the Homeless World Cup in Edinburgh has been a fantastic experience for all our team and winning the tournament the second year running is unbelievable. We have all worked very hard and have learnt so much, which will definitely have a positive impact for us in the future.”
Eric Benoit, Canada
"If 27 teams around the world, from four continents are getting together and they're all having a good time and getting along why can't our governments?"
Michael Schell, USA
“The best part of the whole trip was that the USA was the most trusting and most focused to play hard, and all other teams saw our encouragement and wished us their best and this is what is important. If you do not have good sportsmanship and a good team ethics, then you can't make it in life.”
Sara Coehlo, Portugal
”It was a very good life experience, though it is more difficult for a woman to integrate into a team with so many male players. It was good to see other cultures and places and to understand that I am not alone with the fight against drug addiction and mental problems.”
Stephanie Johnson, USA
”My participation in the Homeless World Cup gave me a lot of satisfaction and made me reflect on my life. It triggered a willingness to work on myself.”
Augusto Viana, Brazil
“I started playing football with OCAS three years ago. I was not good enough because at the beginning we used to lose all the time. I started training six months ago, not being really hopeful. However, I am really proud because I never thought we could get the team so far in the competition."
Steve Cromwell, Coach, The Netherlands
“What I think is beautiful about my boys is that they are from the streets, they all began this with different mentalities and problems but when you look at them today you can see that they have become sportsmen. That’s why to me they have already won, they are champions”
Malcolm Thomas, Wales
"It's helped me a lot, mentally and physically. I don't think I'd be in the same position as I'm in now if it hadn't been for the World Cup and streetsoccer, in terms of confidence, self-esteem, making friends."
Andy McIntyre, Scotland
"I've got to meet other people who are in the same position as me from all over Scotland and here at the World Cup, from all over the world. Everybody's just so friendly, it's really good."
Dermot Haverty, Captain, Ireland
“I hope that people coming here enjoy the football and when they go home to their own homes they will hopefully start to see homeless people differently. We’re not all bad people. Treat the homeless the same as everyone else, the only difference between us is that you have a home - and we don’t.”
