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Homeless Soccer Scores With Players

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By Jessica Gould

Soccer fans have united in downtown, D.C. for a common goal: to end homelessness.

Juan Fuentes isn’t your typical soccer star. He's 65. And he's homeless. But none of that matters when he gets onto the field.

"When you play very hard, you feel a little tired," he says. "But after that, your body is getting strong."

Street Soccer players practice several times a week. And the program connects the athletes with educational opportunities, internships and jobs.

Fuentes says he isn’t just a player. He’s a fan.

"Street soccer helps people feel very good because they forget all the past. They start a new life," says Fuentes.

Nineteen teams from across the country are playing in this weekend’s Street Soccer USA championship.

The top eight players will go on to represent the U.S. in the Homeless World Cup this fall.

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