Michael, the Pepsi Football Academy student on a two year scholarship to St. Bede's School, England has sent us his story and pictures.

Our St. Bede's football squad of 22 players and 3 masters had an extraordinary two week trip to Brazil during the 2008 summer holidays.

We played 6 matches, won 2, drew 2 and lost 2.

I won 3 MVP's out of the 6 matches and was voted no.2 player of the Brazilian tour.

I'm a very lucky teenager and my nick-name is now "The boy who Dares for More"!!

We travelled from London via Rome, Italy.
This is me just having fun with my St. Bede's team mates at Rome airport.

We visited the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro which was built to host the 1950 World Cup which Uruguay surprisingly won against home team Brazil in front of 200,000 fans.
This figure represents the largest crowd ever to attend a soccer match.

At the Maracana Stadium we watched the match Flamingo v. Vasco

The Barra da Tijuca beach, at 12 Km, is the longest beach in Rio de Janerio.
Most professional football teams train here.

We also trained at the Barra da Tijuca beach.

One of our 6 matches was against Santos U 18's.
They are rated as probably the best youth team in Brazil.

It was a very tough match.
They played good football and showed us what they had and we didn't hesitate to show them what we had as well!!

The result was a 3 - 3 draw,
I won the MVP and was presented with a Santos FC jersey.

I couldn't believe that many players in one of the best football nations [Brazil] liked my game and kept asking me where I was from?

I thank God I could boast:-
"The Pepsi Football Academy, Nigeria".

The statue of Christ the Redeemer is 38m high and the span from finger tip to finger tip is 28m.

From its position at the top of Corcovado Mountain you can see superb views of Rio de Janerio, the bay, Sugarloaf Mountain and the Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches.

The statue is probably the world's best known and most visited monuments.

Our St. Bede's football squad, of course, had to go there!!

My favourite footballer, Ronaldhinho, and myself!!

I was unlucky not to meet him in Brazil as he left the day we arrived.
I did however meet Julio Batista.

We toured Pele's and Robinho's former club, Santos FC.

We enjoyed a disco night with some American chicks in Rio.

This was after we'd completed all our matches!

Myself and the girl I fancied the most in Brazil.

I still miss her.

September 2008