They were named the ‘Young Godlike Canaries’.
They come from the poorest slums of Brazil.
They are top footballers.

From 12-18 April the ‘Young Godlike Canaries’ come to Belgium. They will be looked after by the board and the youth training team of K.Lierse S.K during their stay. They will come here to train, relax and play a few matches.

Centro de Treinamento de IBISS
Amongst the thousands of youngsters who spend their days kicking round a football in the dangerous favela’s, there are certainly new Romario’s and Ronaldo’s. The place where they play is too far away and too dangerous for scouts from the top Brazilain clubs to venture to though.

For years young talented players play their football at the ‘escolinhas de futebol’ of IBISS. IBISS is a Brazilian development organisation which has fought for 20 years against the social exclusion within Brazilian communities. To help young players, who would normally not get the chance, to develop and fulfil their talent, IBISS has set up the Centro de Treinamento. At the CTI they learn how to tactically read a match, how to manage as a professional footballer, and how to win matches, as well as just playing attractive football. Alongside football, attention is paid to discipline, self-fulfilment, and how to cope with money and success, and disappointment. The plan is that within two years, the first youth products will be brought to professional clubs in Europe.

This is the first overseas visit of the ‘Young Godlike Canaries’. The training sessions and matches of the 17-strong squad of 17-21 year olds are open to the media, and we invite you to talk with the players at the end of a match or training session. A translator will be on hand.

K.Lierse S.K and partners of Wadi Degla Holding decided to financially support the CTI-school and get them to come over to Belgium, to give them a taste of European football, and to get a measure of the level of these players. The objective is, as in the tradition of the JMG school, to push through the very best ones,and offer them a future in our club.

Programme
14-April: training and a match in Holland
15-April: training and at 19.30 a match against Lierse reseves in the Herman Vanderpoorten stadium.
16-April: training and a tourist trip to Antwerp
17-April: training, a tourist walk around Lier, and at 19.30 a friendly vs FC Kempen, at the Doelvelden in Belaar.
From 18-April the group will travel to Holland to finish off the rest of their itinerary.

The exact training times and match kick-off times can you find on www.ibiss.info under the heading Latest News. Check this site before coming to a training session or a match.

IBISS
The CTI is linked to IBISS. This development organisation aims to produce a ‘healthy community’, in which everybody has access to public services. Diseases such as leprosy and tuberculosis are combatted, social injustice is fought and human rights are respected.