Under the A8 in Koog aan de Zaan are the qualifications of European street football Ghetto Games started. The winning team gets to participate in the final in Riga and can win a big cash prize.
Organizer and five-time street football champion Edward van Gils is proud to see how the different street football teams football court increase. “I once started this form of street football and when I see how big this tournament already is, I can only be proud.”
Edward is also called the Godfather of street football called. Together with his organization StreetKings, he organizes the qualification in the Netherlands for the European broad street football tournament.
No game rules
Street football actually has no rules. “It’s all about respect,” Edward says as the first matches begin. Who can start is determined by a game of rock-paper-scissors and during the match you have to come out together.
Ten thousand euros
The prize pool in Riga is ten thousand euros. Then the teams there also have to win all matches. But a footballer who has just won a game 9-3 should not think about the money: “Of course it’s a bonus, but I’m just participating for the game. Street football is just so much fun.”