Prince William beamed as the future king received a signed football shirt from iconic Brazilian player Cafu.
The future king also faced off against the former World Cup winner in a match inside Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracanã Stadium.
The Prince of Wales showed off his impressive skills, having scored an effortless goal as Cafu played on the opposite team.
Prince William was meeting dozens of young environmental activists as part of his ongoing tour focused on climate action and the environment.
The youngsters were amazed at Prince William’s football skills and even took to high-fiving the 43-year-old.
The Prince of Wales took part in a Generation Earthshot event bringing together 75 young leaders from across the world and 17 children taking part in a parallel programme called Mini COP.
The engagement formed part of his first official trip to Brazil, ahead of the Earthshot Prize ceremony being held in Rio this week.
Generation Earthshot is a three-day programme designed to help young people aged 18 to 30 develop skills to become future climate leaders.
Prince William beams as future king receives signed football shirt from iconic Brazilian player
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PA
Participants came from across Brazil, Asia and South Africa, representing regions ranging from the Amazon and Cerrado to the Atlantic Forest. The initiative aims to allow them to learn from one another, share their environmental journeys and define the legacy they want to leave for future generations.
Running alongside the main programme, Mini COP – developed in partnership with the Alana Foundation – offered children aged 11 to 17 a chance to take part in a version of the United Nations Climate Conference.
Participants attended workshops and panels exploring environmental challenges facing their communities, representing Brazil’s diverse regions, cultures and ecosystems.
William, 43, began the engagement by meeting former Brazilian footballer Cafu at the stadium, one of the most recognisable sporting venues in the world.
The pair spoke with young people taking part in the initiative before the Prince joined group discussions with Generation Earthshot participants from Brazil, South Africa and Singapore, as well as children involved in Mini COP.
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Prince William meeting young climate change activists in iconic Rio stadium
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During the conversations, the father-of-three heard how the young leaders are working to address issues including deforestation, ocean pollution, biodiversity loss and sustainable energy access.
The event focused on leadership across generations, encouraging young people to collaborate and exchange ideas for a more sustainable future.
The Generation Earthshot programme forms part of a wider series of engagements tied to the Earthshot Prize, the global environmental award founded by William in 2020.
Prince William looked thrilled to receive the shirt
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The prize aims to recognise and scale innovative solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental problems.
His visit to Brazil marks the first time the Earthshot Prize has been held in South America.
In addition to hosting this year’s awards ceremony in Rio, William is also due to travel to Belém to attend the COP30 climate summit, representing both his father, King Charles III and the United Kingdom.
Speaking ahead of his trip, the Prince said Brazil was the ideal location to celebrate bold action on the environment, highlighting the country’s unique biodiversity and the importance of the Amazon to global climate stability.
The Maracanã engagement showcased his continued focus on youth empowerment and environmental education, aligning with his long-term mission to inspire the next generation of leaders to take meaningful action for the planet.
William’s Brazil tour continues this week with further meetings and events centred on conservation, innovation and international cooperation on climate.