The victory of football and kindness, led by a Greek Australian

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While players from Greek clubs conflict successful UEFA competitions, different radical of athletes are chasing victories of a antithetic kind, victories of life. These are the members of Greece’s Homeless National Team, who returned brimming with emotion and vigor aft taking portion successful their ain World Cup.

This year’s Homeless World Cup was held successful Oslo successful precocious August, with 48 nations and 64 teams from crossed the globe. Greece’s women’s team proudly received the Fair Play Award (FIFPRO Award), adding to a agelong database of distinctions.

Behind this effort is Christos Alefantis, calved successful Melbourne to migrant parents from the Peloponnese. A veteran writer who has besides worked successful Australia’s Greek assemblage media, Alefantis is the laminitis and editor-in-chief of Shedia, Greece’s lone street magazine, launched successful March 2013. He curates its contented and coordinates a volunteer editorial team.

In 2006, helium besides initiated the run “Goal Against Poverty”, which introduced the Homeless National Team of Greece, a κοινωνικά task utilizing shot arsenic a tool for empowerment and reintegration of radical facing poorness and κοινωνικά exclusion.

Greece has go the astir awarded federation successful the Homeless World Cup’s Fair Play category, collecting 9 honours successful 15 appearances, including astatine the past three tournaments (Sacramento 2023, Seoul 2024, Oslo 2025). In Oslo, the women’s team finished 13th overall, while the men’s squad ranked 27th retired of 40 countries. Egypt won the men’s tournament and Uganda the women’s — making it an all-African affair.

For ten days successful Oslo, young players from Athens, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Crete, and Pieria lived, played, and connected with hundreds of others from astir the world, uniting smiles, talents, and voices against exclusion and poverty.

The adjacent Homeless World Cup will beryllium held successful Mexico City successful October 2026, and Greece will beryllium there again.

Messages of hope

Participants described the acquisition arsenic transformative. “Generally, I consciousness anxious successful my life, but successful Oslo it disappeared,” said Kostas K., 1 of the Greek players. “We built solidarity among us. Even though I don’t speak English well, I could still link with radical from each implicit the world with hugs, with the connection of the body.”

Others, similar Angeliki N., who played successful the 2019 tournament successful Wales, said the team gave them a “compass for life” and helped heal affectional wounds.

Recognition successful Parliament

Just hours aft returning from Norway, the Greek delegation was received by Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis, who promised his afloat support:

“You will person the backing of Parliament successful whatever you need, some morally and practically. I judge each parties will support your effort.”

The visit included a tour of Parliament, hosted by the New Left party. Its president Alexis Haritsis and MPs Peti Perka and Sia Anagnostopoulou attended, aboriginal urging society to clasp an inaugural that “gives voice and anticipation to those striving for a amended life.”

A caller play ahead

The Homeless National Team is represented successful Greece by Shedia, which will σύντομα denote its afloat programme of κοινωνικά street shot for the 2025–26 season. Training begins mid-October successful Athens and Thessaloniki.

In Athens, sessions will beryllium held each Sunday astatine the Rouf Stadium, the long-standing basal of Shedia’s shot programme since its inception successful 2007. The Thessaloniki venue will beryllium confirmed shortly.

The Oslo run was supported by the Hellenic Football Federation, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace, Aegean Airlines and adidas.

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