In this World Cup, we have seen kicking, elbowing, head butts and even a bite. Neither have all celebrations of victories been peaceful: the first triumph of Colombia left people dead and injured in Bogota; and in Chile, celebrations ended with people setting fire to buses and clashing with the police.

If children and young people can master these two skills of social interaction (empathy and control over emotions) through soccer, “they will undoubtedly have tools that will protect them from acting violently.” All of these values are necessary in Latin America, which is officially rated as the most violent region in the world, with 30% of all homicides despite having just 9% of the world’s population.