We finish 29th out of 48 nations! Joemer, Ronaldo, Larry and Robert all score for a wonderful win. Paul Zialcita led an emotional crowd. Robin Porcioncula played an inspired game in goal.

We all cried. What a great day of celebration for the Filipinos in Milan. Last night we were treated to a five star meal by the Jun Tia, of UMAC Forwarders Express. Food, gifts and invitations are being showered on this team.

The best for the least. That is why we are all here.

W. Shaw
Urban Opportunities for Change Foundation
Team Philippines Organizer

Our captain Ronaldo borrowed a pair of dimpled shoes from an Indian player in the stands and with a little more traction he dominated the second half play, scoring three goals. It was not enough to lift us into the semifinals, but it did give us respectability.

Next up is Finland who lost in a shootout to Italy. Finland is big strong and skilled. They are also slower. If the pitch will dry out we have a chance to surprise them.

Paul Zialcita is now drumming for all teams. He has become the celebrated performer. The announcer, when he doesn’t hear the drums says, “Where is our friend from the Philippines?”

Go Philippines! Top 32 in the world! Best of Asia!

The goalies are the champions of these games, taking incredible strikes at close range. One mistake or breakdown on defense and the goalies are looking at 100 kilometer strikes from four meters out. Joemer and Marlon Lagundino have played courageously against the best teams and players in this tournament.

In their second game of the day, and final game of the second round, the Filipinos beat a stubborn Australian team 6-3. With Ronaldo feeding the ball forward, Larry Dela Cruz found the goal four times, Robert Francisco added one and Mark Anthony Rosales sealed the victory. Robin Porcioncula again played the goal and made some great saves and smart outlet passes.
Ricky Ortiz and Joemer Helena also contributed in this fast paced game. The top teams never stop and the ball movement is a series of one-touch passes. They spread the pitch, working the defenses, wowing the crowds with deft passes and ball control. 

These two wins catapult the Philippines into the Host Cup and insure a 24-32 place finish out of 48 teams. Last year they finished 37th so this is an incredible jump against tougher competition. They will face Canada in the first round of the Host Cup. 

In the second round the Filipinos finished with a 4-1 record losing only to a very talented Argentina side 4-2. Argentina had three wins in their opening bracket and ended in the bottom half of the field on goal differential. In our game with Argentina they fielded a weaker side to start the game, playing their one girl. After two minutes they made some quick substitutions as Philippines dominated the play striking quickly in the opening seconds. What ensued was hard-nosed football with body checks and tough tackles. 

On a side note, the Philippines have come out on top in Asia.  Of the five teams from the East, including Hong Kong, India, Japan, Cambodia and Australia, they have proven themselves the elite football side.

At the Homeless World Cup, people of all colors, shapes, and sizes converge under different flags that represent different languages, political systems, ideologies, and religions. There are teams from 48 countries in six continents, some belonging to global superpowers whose flags have instant recall and recognition, others to little-known states that are still seeking recognition.

Despite these differences, everyone here knows three languages that have made the Homeless World Cup a symbol of one huge global village converging toward one goal: the language of sports, the language of music, and above all, the language of respect.

The transformative and uniting power of sports is the main reason why the Homeless World Cup was established. Its founder, globally acclaimed social entrepreneur Mel Young, recognized that sports—football, in particular—has the power to uplift spirits, rebuild broken lives, and create new paths for a better future. According to Homeless World Cup research, more than 94 percent of participants have said that being part of the Homeless World Cup has had a positive impact on their lives. Seventy-seven percent have made significant changes as a direct result of the program, coming off drugs and alcohol; moving in homes, jobs, and education; becoming coaches and players; repairing relationships; and becoming social entrepreneurs.

Even those who are not playing football and simply cheering on the stands are feeling the energy of unity and positivity permeating through the Arena Civica in Milan, Italy, where this year’s games are held. Through the power of music, people can cheer, sing, dance, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company without having to struggle with words and syntax.

Leading the global cheering squad is Paul Zialcita, a percussionist and performance artist from the Philippines. Using five-gallon water bottles (called “aquadrums”) and a large recycled trash can, he has been drumming not only for Team Philippines but for other teams as well, and teaching the players themselves how to use these drums so that teams can have their own built-in cheering section. Through this approach, footballers gamely take the bottles on and drum and cheer for other countries—even for those who will be or have been their opponents through the course of the games.

John Marshall is a player for Team Scotland, and even while Scotland and the Philippines have already slugged it out on the pitch, John and his team were seen rooting for Team Philippines during the latter’s game with Australia. Alejandro Miranda, meanwhile, is a volunteer pitch manager who hails from Chile and lives in the United States. He was seen cheering for the Spanish football team, whom he regards as “the best team. They’re very kind, very respectful.”

Sports and music have been building bridges in a world where lines are drawn too strongly and too often. During an interview with football star Dariusz Dsziekanowski, formerly a player for Polish teams, he talked about the importance of bringing back respect at a time when life moves too fast for people to pay attention to one another.

“Respect—this word brings a huge message to the people,” he said. “Life moves very fast. Sometimes you miss the train and find yourself standing in the station wondering where all the time has gone, and nobody will care about you. It’s important that we bring back the simple things, like saying ‘Hello, how are you?’ ‘I respect you’, ‘I don’t judge you’, ‘I respect what you’re doing.’”

When it’s difficult to verbalize our feelings and expressions, especially in a setting such as this where the arena has become a melting pot of peoples and cultures, Darius recommends one very simple thing:

“Just respect and smile at each other.”

The Homeless World Cup is an international football tournament that uses football to energize and change lives. It was first held in Austria in 2003, and has since moved to Sweden (2004), Edinburgh (2005), Cape Town (2006), Copenhagen (2007), Melbourne (2008), and Milan (2009). Over 500 players from 48 nations around the globe participate yearly, although pre-tournament training and trials benefit some 25,000 people from around the world. The goal is to reach 100,000 beneficiaries per year by 2010 onwards.