Episode 1: Australia to Brazil - The Journey

Fourty hours. That’s how long it took for our Australian delegation, a mix of starry-eyed 13 year old futsal players and their brave parents, to travel from Sydney, across the Pacific Ocean and the United States, and finally touch down in São Paulo, Brazil. After connections in Los Angeles and Miami, we stepped out of the airport exhausted but buzzing. The legendary home of Pelé, Ronaldo and Neymar just to name a few was waiting.

Arrival in the Land of Football Legends

We were transported to our hotel, hearts pounding with anticipation. Luggage was dropped, rooms were found and within minutes we hit the São Paulo streets for a gentle walk and some food. The trick to beating jetlag? Keep the kids awake until a normal bedtime. So we explored until afternoon, chatted excitedly over rice and beans in a local Buffet, (not sure if the kids enjoyed it) but it was a good introduction to the Brazilian food scene. We then headed back for a light stretch and physio session. Dinner of Pizza was delivered, although a couple of players were feeling the pinch and fell asleep or bunked in with mum!! Everyone, parents, coaches and players, headed to their rooms ready to relax…. or try to anyway..

A Pilgrimage to Santos

Tuesday dawned, a little rainy, sometimes warm sometimes cold….the weather was not what we expected but that didnt matter. After a late breakfast we boarded two buses: one for the squad, one for our cheer squad (the parents), bound for the coastal city of Santos. The trip should have taken an hour; port traffic and a burst of tropical rain stretched it to more than two. Yet the long ride only heightened the suspense. Banners proclaiming “Pele, Rei do Futebol” fluttered above shops (translation is: “Pele, King of Football”) and street vendors sold Neymar jerseys in many corner shops. We were truly in the cradle of Brazilian football.

Our destination was Santos FC, one of Brazil’s most famous clubs and the launchpad for some of football’s greatest names. Tucked inside the grandstand of the stadium, like a scene from a movie, was a concrete futsal court that felt like hallowed ground. Photos of club legends hung on the walls, and a small window looked directly onto the lush grass of the main stadium. Our young players, normally boisterous, stood wide‑eyed and silent. Parents whispered in awe.

The Santos U13 team was warming up and they looked every bit the part, physically bigger, more mature, technically sharp and fast. Our boys’ nerves were obvious. Within minutes the Brazilian side had scored twice. But as the game wore on our squad settled. Passes found their targets, tackles landed cleanly, and the boys began to enjoy themselves. The final score – somewhere around 7–9 goals to Santos but it didn’t matter. What mattered was watching our team lift, learn and improve against such high‑calibre opponents. Coaches beamed as they saw early mistakes corrected in real time.

After the final whistle there were smiles and hugs. Gifts were swapped, social media handles exchanged and an impromptu photo session took place. We wandered through the club’s museum, marvelling at replicas of Pelé’s boots and Neymar’s trophies, and snapped a few photos pitch‑side before our next appointment.

Game Two: A Shock and a Comeback.

Our second fixture was an hour’s drive away at a sprawling private school called Colegio Liceu (with 2,000‑plus students). Traffic meant there was barely time for a proper lunch, so sandwiches were shared on the bus. As we pulled into the school our team looked across at the opposition, noticed the players were smaller than the Santos boys, and felt a little too confident. The coaches cautioned against complacency.

Their warnings proved true. Our squad started sluggishly and at halftime we trailed 3–2. That reality check sparked a passionate team talk: it wasn’t about size or swagger, it was about effort, discipline and belief. The second half was pure joy. The passes were crisp, the movement electric, and the energy contagious. We roared back to win 8–4. Parents cheered from the sideline, players hugged at the final whistle, and the school community thanked us with smiles, hugs and handshakes. We promised to keep in touch, moments like this forge lifelong friendships.

Back to Base - and What’s Next?

By the time the buses pulled into the hotel that evening, our players were spent. We ordered dinner to the hotel, and asked the boys to be in bed by 11:30pm. The day had been long but unforgettable. There would be training and another game tomorrow, but for a moment we all savoured the reality: our young Aussies were playing futsal in the heartland of Futsal and Football, learning not just about the game but about resilience, travel, culture and the joy of sport.

Stay tuned – this journey from Australia to Brazil is just getting started!