On Sunday, September 8th, the first leg of the Mundialito Football Tournament’s semifinals games took place at the Ambergris Stadium. Four teams, Belize, Brazil, Germany, and Argentina competed to secure a final spot. The matches were intense as the young football players strove to score goals and earn points for a chance to compete in the ultimate showdown. The last leg of the semifinals will take place on Friday, September 13th, at 4:30PM, with three scheduled matches. This will determine who will advance to the grand finale, where the season’s champion will be determined later this month.
The first round of the semifinals was initially scheduled for September 6th but was rescheduled due to bad weather. With improved weather conditions, two matches were played on Sunday. Belize and Brazil were the first teams to take to the field for a game that ended in a 0-0 draw. This was followed by a challenging match between Germany and Argentina, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Germany.
According to the football organizer, the Mundialito game is held yearly to build up the sporting community in San Pedro. In a media interview, sports coordinator Ada Cordova said, “For us, the Mundialito is very important as these kids who are competing are in the age range of 6-13, and it’s believed that it’s the time when they begin to dream the most and take sports seriously. Noticing that after this, some will become teenagers and enter high school, then eventually turning into adults. So, we believe it’s the perfect time to teach them important life skills such as teamwork, communication, leadership, and time management so they can value their strengths while acknowledging the significance of collective effort. I believe that these kids are very talented and need a little push to reach their goals, so I am happy to be able to contribute to this competition.”
The 2024 Mundialito Tournament has seen nine weeks of intense football competition, with over 133 participating. The San Pedro Town Council Sports and sports organizers thank all the parents for allowing their children to participate in this year’s Mundialito season and contributing to its success. It’s the collective effort of the community that has made this tournament a success. They invite everyone to Ambergris Stadium weekly to support their favorite teams and be part of this inspiring journey.
