Brazilian children were left amazed by Prince William, who effortlessly scored a goal at the iconic Maracana Stadium and celebrated with them after playing a small game.
He joined in with community leaders who run and participate in local football programmes across Rio de Janeiro and Brazil.
William high-fived the young players as he played against two-time World Cup winner and Brazilian footballing legend, Cafu.
The Prince of Wales took a penalty with the children, scoring into the bottom-right corner and cheered with the youngsters.
Brazilian children amazed as Prince William scores effortless goal in football match
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Aside from smashing in goals, the prince spoke with community leaders about their programmes, which are attended by young people from across the city’s favelas, creating a safe and inclusive space for them to play.
On the pitch, William met with Severiano Braga, the CEO of Maracana Stadium, Luiz Eduardo, the chairman of Flamengo Football Club (FC), and Mattheus Montenegro, the Vice President of Fluminense FC.
The young children are part of Terra FC (Earth FC), a campaign that aims to educate football fans in Brazil about the climate cause, pushing clubs, fans and governments to join in the fight against climate change.
Before taking to the pitch, the Prince of Wales was beamed as he received a signed football shirt from Cafu.
Prince William is a well-known Aston Villa fan
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William participated in a Generation Earthshot event, which brought together 75 young leaders worldwide and 17 children joining in a parallel programme called Mini COP.
The engagement was part of his first official trip to Brazil, head of the Earthshot Prize ceremony this week in Rio.
Generation Earthshot is a three-day programme aimed at helping young people aged 18 to 30 develop skills to become future climate leaders.
Participants came from across Brazil, Asia and South Africa, representing regions ranging from the Amazon and Cerrado to the Atlantic Forest.
The Prince of Wales spoke with community leaders about their programmes
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The initiative allows them to learn from each other, 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 the chance to participate in a version of the United Nations Climate Conference.
Participants, representing Brazil’s diverse regions, cultures, and ecosystems, attended workshops and panels exploring environmental challenges facing their communities.
Joined by Cafu, William spoke with young people part of the initiative before the prince joined group discussions with Generation Earthshot participants from Brazil, South Africa, Singapore, and children involved in Mini COP.
William was joined by Cafu and young people as part of the initiative
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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 his father, King Charles III and the United Kingdom.
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.
Speaking ahead of his trip, William stated: “As I depart for Rio de Janeiro, I am excited for my first visit and to experience Brazil’s vibrant culture, its extraordinary biodiversity, and above all, the warmth of its people.
“With the world’s eyes turning to Brazil this week, there is no better place to celebrate bold climate leadership. Hosting the Earthshot Prize allows us to not only recognise those driving change, but to be inspired by them.
“When we work together with optimism and courage, a more sustainable future is within our reach.”