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With just three days to go before the World Cup kick off, the England squad today welcomed young people from some of the Rio’s most disadvantaged communities to their first training session in Brazil.
On the day it was announced that the Sport Relief 2014 total had reached a record breaking £70 million, the youngsters, who included children from a local Sport Relief funded project Bola Pra Frente, (BPF) treated the team to some lively local beats.
A number of the England party, including manger Roy Hodgson and keeper Joe Hart, visited the project during their trip to play the first game at the newly renovated Maracana stadium last year.
Jorginho, a key member of the Brazil team which lifted the 1994 World Cup, is the driving force behind BPF which gives vital opportunities to children growing up in areas where drug use and trafficking, teenage prostitution, and violence dominate their day to day life.
As well as helping to change lives in some of poorest neighbourhoods in the world, Sport Relief also helps thousands of people at home in the UK too, like Anthony - and with today's news that a stunning £70million has been raised during the 2014 campaign, that work is set to continue and grow.
England manager Roy Hodgson, said: “Having witnessed first-hand the incredible impact sport, and in particular football, has on the lives of so many people in Rio’s local communities, we are delighted to be able to welcome children and inspiring individuals to our training session.
“Our hope is to provide inspiration for those we meet in order that they continue to develop their lives in a positive way.”
The FA has made a donation of their own to the project too which will help fund the construction of a new training centre.
Comic Relief Chief Executive Kevin Cahill said it was fantastic that the England team were able to see how donations make a real difference and paid tribute to those who helped make Sport Relief a success.
“We would like to thank the British public and our partner, the BBC, for once again helping us raise such an incredible amount of money for Sport Relief".
"The public's compassion and generosity never fails to amaze me”.
