I am already depressed about the end of the World Cup. Let’s start the countdown to 2014!!

Of course, there is so much to remember about the World Cup, on and off the field. We will have great highlights and stories about the players, coaches, fans, South Africa, and the sport of soccer/football. And yes, there will be memories of the vuvuzuelas. 🙂

And the memories we have will be just one of the legacies of this momentous event. Another legacy are the efforts of individuals, organizations, companies and governments to make sure that the physical, economic and social development efforts that took place in the lead up to the World Cup are not lost. In fact, the goal is for this legacy to last for generations to come.

The U.S. Department of State has produced ‘Goal! Soccer for a better future’, a new documentary that shows six organizations that use football to engage and empower disadvantaged youth in South America, South Africa and the United States.

The film, which was directed by Jason Katz, features stories from streetfootballworld network members Grassroot Soccer, Amandla Ku Lutsha, Fundaciòn de las Américas para el Desarollo ‘A Ganar’ and Soccer in the Streets. It also presents the very first Football for Hope Centre.

These efforts are a great start to building the foundation for long-term sustainability in South Africa and in so many other parts of the world. We applaud their efforts.

To learn more about the effort and to see the first 3 parts of the film, please visit our friends at streetfootballworld or the America.gov YouTube page (produced by the U.S. Department of State).