These Miami kids get to escort the World Cup stars. Here’s how they got picked

A crowd of elementary school students flipped through Adidas shoe boxes, hunting down their sizes, then picked out jerseys and shorts — gearing up to hold hands with some of the world’s brightest soccer stars.

At Earlington Heights Elementary, the 22 students selected to walk hand in hand with Norway and England players at the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal match at the Hard Rock Stadium (rebranded as Miami Stadium for the World Cup) met up hours ahead of Saturday’s match. With one hour to collect their gear and pack the school bus taking them to Miami Gardens, the kids hustled to get ready to make their World Cup debut.

The group of students was picked through Miami SCORES, a branch of America SCORES, a soccer literacy program serving Title I public schools across the city. The original organization was created after the 1994 Men’s World Cup to allow kids to play in soccer teams for free while also developing literacy skills by writing poetry.

“Kids come together on the soccer fields as a team, and then they’re in the classroom finding their voice through poetry,” said executive director of Miami SCORES Rob Uvanović.

Through the program, Uvanović and his team have taken groups of 22 kids from different schools to four of the World Cup games in Miami this year.

“It’s two years of work come to fruition,” he said. “We’re really excited about this for the community and this group of parents and these schools. They work incredibly hard and don’t often get a chance to shine and get this really special event.”

The process of picking kids began in January, when FIFA player escort program sponsor Quaker — as in the oats — worked with a nationwide soccer organization named Common Goal. The opportunity eventually trickled down to include Miami SCORES, which selected six of the schools that host its free after-school program. From there, each school selected 15 students, which were then picked lottery-style by Miami SCORES.

This time around, 15 kids were picked from Jesse J. McCrary Elementary, and seven were selected from Charles R. Drew K-8 Center.

It’s an emotional moment, Uvanović says, and it’s hit the same way with each group of kids he gets to watch walk across the field.

“Unfortunately, in our country, it’s a very expensive sport,” he said. “This moment helps embody the fact that this sport is for everyone.”

In the humid heat, the students ran circles around each other. Some had already thrown on their blue jerseys, while others were placing their bets on which team would win. Most have their money on Norway. But no matter who claims the victory, the kids get to keep their World Cup gear, and a one-in-a-million opportunity to watch the match after their parade out with the players.

Alex Groth, a fourth-grade teacher from Jesse J. McCrary, will chaperone the kids to the stadium, where they have to arrive six hours before the match starts. She’s worked with Miami SCORES since the branch was created and coaches boys’ soccer.

“I’m very excited for the kids, but some of the kids, they can’t even grasp the enormity of going to a game like this,” Groth said.

While they wait at the stadium before the match the kids have to rehearse their procession before the stadium is crammed with screaming fans. They get to snack and eat lunch, play games and because Miami SCORES has a passion for poetry, get to put pen to paper to process what exactly it is they’re doing.

“A lot of the students I coach have never been to a professional soccer game,” she said. “We’ve been teaching them the rules and how to play over the past couple years, so it’s going to be really cool for them to actually get to see the best of the best.”

Thearris Hawkins, 11, who was already wearing his FIFA-issued backpack, said he was most excited to meet Erling Haaland, Norway’s superstar player.

“I’m going to tell him that he’s my favorite person in Norway,” Hawkins said.

And while he wants the Norwegian player to win, he will wish the English team a good game.

Blade Lambert, 31, was thrilled when he heard his daughters were selected to walk out with the players. Growing up as a soccer player in Jamaica, he was glad his passion for the sport didn’t skip a generation.

“I’m very excited,” Lambert said. “I’m going to be near the TV watching before she gets on.”

While he wished he could be beside his kids for such a huge moment, he’s glad they get to experience something as grand as the World Cup.

“We’re definitely going to go celebrate,” he said. “We’re cheering for them. What FIFA is doing for the kids and coming to the schools, it’s a great thing. People can see what it’s really about.”

His nine-year-old daughter, Nevaeh Lambert, was happy to learn she was selected to go walk alongside the World Cup players. With her gear at the ready, she’s looking forward to trying on the shoes.

She doesn’t know what team she wants to claim the final victory, but she’s rooting for Norway for today’s match.

Lauren Amaya’s 11-year-old son, Juelz, has played soccer with Miami SCORES for two years. Amaya, 30, has been a soccer fan for as long as she can remember, something she can now share with her two sons who play.

“I’ve been counting down to this day, actually,” Amaya said. “I just want them to enjoy it overall and have a blast.”

It’s not every day a parent can send their child to the field of a World Cup game. She spent the weeks leading up to the match reminding her son of his shoe and shirt size so he can keep wearing his jersey after he walks alongside the star players. She calls it a blessing, and a full circle moment.

In preparation for the game, she’s hosting a watch party at home where her entire family can see her son on the big screen. But she hopes for a closer look after telling her son to take as many photos as he can.

Around 11 a.m., the students step up onto the bus one by one, some already sporting their jersey, others in a blue-branded Quaker T-shirt. Uvanović high-fived each one as they climbed inside, a chorus of cheers escaping from the school bus as the doors closed.

Their parents wave from outside, watching as the school bus took off, their kids in tow with a golden ticket to the World Cup.

“They’re too young to understand what type of experience it is,” Amaya said. “But to me, it meant the world.”

This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 2:24 PM.