RIO DE JANEIRO — A Brazil team composed of youths from Rio de Janeiro's Penha favela won the Street Child World Cup in Mexico. The Street Child United Brazil project supported the team, which went undefeated in the tournament.

João Victor Gonçalves, an 18-year-old from the Penha complex of favelas, was part of the 10-member team that traveled to Mexico. Nine other young boys from the same area also represented Brazil in the competition.

"I never could have imagined that one day this would happen, that I would represent my country, doing what I most love — playing soccer — in another country," Gonçalves said. The Street Child World Cup features teams from 30 countries and is organized before the FIFA World Cup. Participating teams in the tournament are composed of boys from impoverished backgrounds.

The project operates year-round in the Penha complex, offering training sessions four days a week. Approximately 100 youths, both girls and boys aged 6 and older, participate in the program. The initiative began in 2014. Drica Santos, a coordinator for the project, said, "If the project didn't exist, we would have lost a lot of lives. We're not going to save everyone, but the greatest number of children that we manage to save — that don't get involved in drug-trafficking — that will already be our victory."

Training sessions for the project have been interrupted at times due to police operations in the favela. The Red Command controls parts of the Penha favela. Another player, 17-year-old Ryan Mercedes, also traveled to Mexico for the competition. "When we enter the field, it's time for us to have fun and be happy," Mercedes said. "We did our part. Now it's up to the Brazilian national team," Gonçalves said. Brazil hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2014.