They only dreamed of getting in the Street Child World Cup, but they came home with more than what they had hoped for — a fulfillment for themselves.

For the team of 10 Filipino street children who battled against eight other football teams from eight different countries, finishing third place in the international football tournament held in South Africa can be considered a “miracle.”

The Philippine team competed against football superstars from Brazil, India, Nicaragua, South Africa, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Vietnam during the First Deloitte Street Child World Cup held in Durban, South Africa last March 15 to 22.

“Una, pinangarap ko lang mag compete, ngayon, natupad na at sa ibang bansa pa ako lumaban. (At first, my only dream was to compete (in football). It was fulfilled and I even got the chance to go abroad to compete),” 16-year-old Mario Titoy said.

Fifteen-year-old Raymond Elona said he felt happy for the recognition, and upon returning home to the country, he considered himself and his teammates famous after joining the competition.

“Masaya ako sa nasalihang competition dahil marami akong naging fans. First time ko rin makasakay ng eroplano at lahat ng ito ay di ko makakalimutan. (I am very happy with the competition that I was able to join because I gained a lot of fans. It was also my first time to ride an airplane. I will never forget all of these),” Elona said.

Titoy and Elona are just two of the 10 street children who flew to South Africa last month to compete in the football tournament.

They said playing football has given them hope and self-fulfillment, and expected that other children will draw inspiration from their experience.

Titoy and Elona, who have been staying at the Nayon ng Kabataan in Pasay City for eight and seven years respectively, said joining the competition was a dream come true.

Nayon ng Kabataan, a residential facility of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), provides comprehensive program for the care, training and development of abandoned, neglected, abused, exploited and orphaned children seven to 17 years old.

Both teens were abandoned by their families and were turned over to DSWD for care and custody.

Training on various sports is just one of the activities provided to the children in Nayon ng Kabataan, where Titoy and Elona were found excellent in football.

They were later recommended to become part of the Philippine team to compete in the Deloitte Street Child World Cup.

Jess Landagan, a volunteer coach of Nayon ng Kabataan, at the same time the head coach of the team, said he is pleased with the outcome of the tournament.