Cuba kicks off World Cup initiative

At one point, Cuba's entire national team left the island to play in Germany after signing a six-month contract with Bonner SC, a fourth-division club, in January 1999. The group included 15 players, two coaches, an interpreter, a physiotherapist and a cook.

The Cuba's men's team's best ranking was No 46 in 2006, only to drop to its worst ranking of No 182 in 2018. Meanwhile, the women's team is ranked 97th out of 185 countries. The recently trained coaches would like to see Cuba once again in double digits, although such goals were not important to those playing soccer in a rundown public park several blocks away.

"For me, playing is more important than winning," 9-year-old Cristian Montes de Oca Pena said.

More than a dozen young boys surrounding him agreed before they rushed off to continue their game.

Agencies via Xinhua