UK envoy upbeat over Pinoy kids’ chances in Mini World Cup

MANILA, Philippines - British Ambassador Asif Ahmad on Wednesday hosted a training session for kids representing the UK in a mini World Cup at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) today as part of a program to promote football at the grassroots level.

Aimed to harness the power of football in uniting persons, communities and countries, the 2014 Ambassadors’ Cup Grassroots Football Project will culminate today in a friendly tournament composed of children aged between 7 and 13 years old from various communities around Metro Manila. The UK team is led by coach Gerald Mendoza of Barangay Pinagsama in Taguig.

Ambassador Ahmad participated in the two-hour session at his residence in Makati. He was joined by British diplomats First Secretary Steph Lysaght and Second Secretary Colin Glen in conducting a training session to prepare the team for today’s tournament.

“I want everyone in our team to feel our genuine support and encouragement. Young people represent the future of football in this country. Playing the game is not only improving their physical skills but more importantly, instilling lifelong values such as discipline, tenacity, teamwork and self-confidence that will spill over to other areas and create a stronger foundation for future success. Filipinos will increasingly understand that football is a very accessible game. All you need is a ball, some friends and a little space, be it a traffic free lane or a basketball court. It is important for the enthusiasm for the sport from the players to be felt also by the business community in the Philippines so that they can understand the full commercial dimension of the world’s favorite game,” said Ambassador Ahmad. 

Aside from the UK, other embassies participating are Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, South Korea, Timor Leste, Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, Canada and the US.