Albert Lin, The Merit Times staff writer
July 10, 2023

The Fo Guang Cup Football Tournament was held on July 8th at the I.B.P.S. Do Brasil's Fo Guang Three Acts of Goodness Football Field to commemorate Venerable Master Hsing Yun. This tournament lasted for three months with matches held every Sunday. There were a total of 7 football teams from Cotia, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and over 100 players participated, many of whom were children from slums. Most Venerable Hsin Bao, the Abbot of Fo Guang Shan, presided over the opening ceremony and watched the grils' friendly match with honorable guests including Venerable Miao You, the Abbess of I.B.P.S. Do Brasil, and Venerable Hui Dong, Abbot of Hsi Lai Temple.

Players escorted the flag of BLIA into the field. photo／The Merit Times

Most Venerable Hsin Bao stated that playing football can also embody the Three Acts of Goodness - do good deeds, speak good words, and think good thoughts. This will enhance the players' performance and bring brightness to their future. This tournament is held to express gratitude for the Three Acts of Goodness taught by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, and everyone should practice the Three Acts of Goodness to make the world a better place.

Most Venerable Hsin Bao kicked the ball during the opening ceremony, and everyone applauded joyfully. photo／The Merit Times

The president of the Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA) Brazil, Xu Yonglong, stated that this football tournament held in commemoration of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, with the presence of Most Venerable Hsin Bao for the opening ceremony, carries significant historical significance.

The first Fo Guang Cup Football Tournament was held in 2005. At that time, the Fo Guang Three Acts of Goodness Football Field had not yet been completed, so the games had to be played at other fields. Later, the tournament was held in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2017. In 2018, a professional-level football field was built at I.B.P.S. Do Brasil, and the tournament began to be held there.

Sons of Zu Lai girl's team compete against FC SKA BRASIL in the opening match. photo／The Merit Times

Bruno Amaral Santos, CEO of the "Sons of Zu Lai Project," stated that this year's tournament is the first official 11-a-side football tournament held by I.B.P.S. Do Brasil after the COVID-19 pandemic, in commemoration of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan. Bruno Amaral Santos mentioned that I.B.P.S. Do Brasil has been propagating Dharma in the local community for many years and has gained the trust of schools and parents. When inviting schools to participate in the tournament, he explained to them that the competition is held to honor Venerable Master Hsing Yun, and this explanation received the support of these schools.

All the participating students are familiar with Venerable Master Hsing Yun, and they also understand that despite coming from a poor background, Venerable Master Hsing Yun was able to become an influential figure. This experience can inspire children from the slums, and if they follow Venerable Master Hsing Yun's teachings and strive to practice the Three Acts of Goodness, they too can fulfill their dreams in the future.

One of the 7 participating teams is the Sao Joaquim Football School team, which was founded with the aim of keeping children away from the streets and drugs. Another team is the Recanto Osasco Football team, whose founder wanted his son to receive football training. During this process, he noticed 20 children from vulnerable groups watching from the sidelines, so he established the team to provide them with the opportunity to play football as well.

The other participating teams include FC SKA BRASIL from Sao Paulo, Projeto Universo da Bola Football team, Gremio Cotia Football team, and Cruzeiro Football team and The BLIA FC Sons of Zu Lai team. During the opening ceremony, each team entered the field holding banners, and hundreds of parents cheered and encouraged from the spectator stands.

Parents of the players watched the match from the spectator stands. photo／The Merit Times

The technical consultant for the Sons of Zu Lai football team is Hsu Che-Wei from Taiwan. He has been living in Brazil for 40 years and studied sports science at a university. He later joined the Brazilian national team and also participated in the 2004 Five-a-side World Cup tournament held in Taipei.

Hsu Che-Wei expressed that he was deeply moved when he learned about the Sons of Zu Lai project of Fo Guang Shan. He understood the challenges faced by underprivileged girls who wanted to play football, including the judgment of others and opposition from their families.

Hsu Che-Wei also recognized the struggles faced by the venerables in propagating Dharma in Brazil. Therefore, he decided to volunteer and lead the Sons of Zu Lai football team to participate in competitions against official teams in Sao Paulo city and state leagues. He stated that in the future, he would be willing to help whenever the venerables needed his assistance.

In Brazil, participating in official football tournaments requires a high registration fee. However, the Fo Guang Cup Football Tournament doesn't charge any registration fees and even providing snacks after the matches. Additionally, the age range for participants in the Fo Guang Cup is from 7 to 13 years old, while most regular competitions involve participants between the ages of 13 and 17. The younger age of the players in the tournament makes it even more challenging to organize because parents from underprivileged families often have to work and do not have the time to accompany their children to the matches.

The age range of players of Fo Guang Cup Football Tournament is from 7 to 13. photo／The Merit Times