Sydsvenska Dagbladet, July 16th 2016
MALMÖ From a dwelling in a Cape Town township to Zlatan Court in Rosengård – that’s the journey Sisonke Lubelwana and some of his friends have done. “Everybody admires Zlatan, but I also need my own style,” he says.
Fifteen boys from Cape Town are ready to defend the South African colours in the P14 class of the Gothia Cup. But before then, it is gyros and falafel at FC Rosengård’s clubhouse after a mixed practise match. When someone blows the vuvuzela, the Rainbow Team’s coach Anees Abbas thanks their new Swedish friends for their friendliness.
It is obvious that the South African players already have made friends with their opponents from Rosengård.
“Imagine how much soccer and sport can do to bring people together. Coming here is an enormous chance for many of my players,” Coach Abbas explains.
The team has been put together from different local clubs. The idea is to let boys from different cultural, religious and social backgrounds play together in the same team. About half of the boys have received sponsorship in order to be able to participate. The idea came from Pernilla Landstedt, who has lived in South Africa for more than 20 years.
“To these boys, it is definitely not an exaggeration to say that this will be a memory for life. Many of them have never been outside of Cape Town. This amazing journey has given them so many different life experiences. They get to play soccer, learn about another country, and not least they get to experience an amazing team spirit and make friends with people from all over the world,” Pernilla Landstedt explains.
And they know how to play soccer.
“They are really very good, fast and technically skilled,” says Elise Boman from FC Rosengård’s girl team.
Sisonke Lubelwana did a hattrick. He is aiming for a professional soccer career.
“It is a hard life to live in a township, but I focus and practise hard and I want to find my way out through soccer. A great start would be here in FC Rosengård,” he says.
We walk in Zlatan’s footsteps. Past Rosengård’s centre and the sport hall. Pass Adlerfeldt Street along Bennet Street, under Västra Kattarp Street towards Zlatan Court by Cronman’s Street.
“Zlatan grew up behind one of the windows up there,” the guide Enes Kovacevic explains pointing to an apartment complex. There is a bit of whispering about Zlatan amongst the boys but it doesn’t take long before the pitch it too tempting. Soon the fifteen boys from Cape Town are kicking the ball around on the pitch. Christians, Jews, Muslims, upper class, under class. It is wonderful to see how soccer unites them.
“I am so grateful to Pernilla for starting all this,” says coach Anees Abbas.
Today is another match versus Olympic and the boys are going to watch Marta and Lotta Schelin and the other stars at FC Rosengård before the bus leaves for Gothenburg, where we will carry the South African flag at the opening ceremony”‘ says Pernilla Landstedt.
Big Picture Captions:
They follow Zlatan’s footsteps. Fifteen football boys from Cape Town on their way through Zlatan’s childhood streets.
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Quote by Anees Abbas coach from Rainbow Team,
“Imagine how much soccer and sport can do to bring people together. Coming here is an enormous chance for many of my players,” Coach Abbas explains
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Jordan Arelisky, Luca Puglia and Zube Mshweshwe at Zlatan Court.
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After the match there is time for lunch and soccer chat. Hanna Nordahl, Jackie Wejnor, Mirelle Olsson and Elise Boman with their new friends from the Rainbow Team.
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Kabelo Moyo takes a look at the Rosengård skyline.