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Niki Law

A dozen young footballers from Hong Kong will be offered the chance to meet some of Brazil's soccer greats and play in a tournament at the world-famous Maracana stadium next year.

Brazilian Soccer Schools (BSS), which coaches hundreds of children in samba-style soccer, hopes to give 10 to 12 students the opportunity to train in Rio de Janeiro next July.

According to director Jim Pirrie, the school came up with the idea after two of their boys - Aska Mertens and Ryan Pope - spent two weeks at Zico's Centre de Futebol.

'The coaches  were so impressed with our two kids that they invited them to come back any time they wanted to, along with an invitation to Brazilian Soccer School to send along more of our children,' Mr Pirrie said.

'We plan to do this on a regular basis now, taking 10 to 12 of the best children at BSS to Rio de Janeiro every summer.'

The footballers selected to go on the trip can look forward to six hours of training a day, which often includes matches. If they measure up, they will even be invited to play in tournaments such as the Rio de Janeiro Cup - whose final is held at the Maracana.

In addition, the young footballers will get the chance to meet Brazilian greats such as Zico -  who scored 54 goals in 78 games for Brazil and is regarded as the greatest player never to have won the World Cup -  and 1970 World Cup winner and Brazil captain Carlos Alberto Torres.  Ryan  said his experience at the centre  had convinced him he wanted to become a professional footballer.

'It was really fun. I have been playing since I was six but after this trip I got a lot better. I understand that I must train harder if I want to play professionally,' said the 11-year-old.

'Everyone plays football in the streets. You don't even need to ask and they invite you to play with them. I hope other kids get to experience what I did.'

The two-week soccer camp is quite pricey - costing between US$5,000 and US$8,000 per child. However, the BSS says it will find sponsors  so less fortunate children won't miss out on the opportunity.

'Some parents are able to afford it but we don't want kids who can't to be deprived of the chance. We will meet  possible sponsors in the next two to three weeks about subsidising the cost for the kids,' Mr Pirrie said. 'The ones we are talking to are international companies with a strong presence in Hong Kong. We will not consider McDonald's or Coke or anything seen as unhealthy.'

BSS, which was established in the United Kingdom in 1998, opened its Hong Kong branch in 2004. It has more than 600 students - both boys and girls from five to 15 years of age - of whom 70 per cent are Chinese.



HK pair such a hit in Brazil, soccer school says send us 12