Sokheng and Sok selected for Moscow tournament

Twelve-year-old Sengkea Sokheng will play as a midfielder for Team Angel Shark. Supplied

Two lucky football-mad 12-year-olds have been selected by the Football Federation of Cambodia to go to Moscow and take part in the Gazprom Football for Friendship International Championship in June.

As the excitement mounts in the build-up to the world’s most popular sport’s flagship tournament in Russia from June 14-July 15, the friendly youth tournament aims to bring together children from around the globe to celebrate the unifying spirit of “the beautiful game”.

Sengkea Sokheng will play as a midfielder for Team Angel Shark alongside a goalkeeper from the US Virgin Islands, defenders from Libya and Sierra Leone, a fellow midfielder from Palestine and a forward from France.

Budding journalist Makara Sok will join Sokheng to cover the global Football for Friendship social program’s events, which will see youngsters from 211 nations and regions formed into 32 teams converge on the Russian capital.

“The selection of the young ambassadors from Cambodia is an extension of our support to this unique global initiative,” said May Tola, the acting general secretary of the FFC.

“The program is a wonderful opportunity for the ambassadors to build ties of friendship among children from around the world and foster peace and harmony through the beautiful game of football.

“We wish our young ambassadors all the best for the program and look forward to their contribution in promoting the key values of the program, in Russia, as well as Cambodia.”

Budding journalist Makara Sok, also 12, will cover the global Football for Friendship social program’s events. Supplied

The sixth season of the Football for Friendship program will conclude with the participating children attending the opening ceremony and the first match of the 2018 World Cup.

Sok will report on all the local and global activities of the F4F program as part of the International Children’s Press Center.

Sokheng and Makara will get to be part of the Sixth Football for Friendship International Children’s Forum in Russia, where they will meet youngsters from other countries and share their experiences, and discuss with famous footballers and journalists on promoting the key values of the Football for Friendship program around the world.

Now in its sixth year, Cambodia is taking part in the Football for Friendship program for the first time.

Contact author: Joe Curtin

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