It was their sheer hard work that hauled them from an inconsequential existence on the streets to super-stardom but the children can’t believe their luck. And they have good reason to credit their trance-like journey to destiny. Pakistan’s young footballers finished third at the Street Child World Cup in Brazil.

Dedication and determination seldom pay that generously if you loiter on the streets of Karachi, dejected or disowned by your family, scheming to procure the next lucky meal and hounded by the police and sexual predators alike.

So when the captain of Pakistan’s street children football team Sameer Ahmed says that it cannot be his efforts alone, since there are so many street children out there who are equally talented or better than him, he has a point.

However, to some the words may sound too humble for the youngster who led a team of nine street children from Pakistan and made it to the semi finals of the Street Child World Cup 2014, recently held in Rio De Janiero, Brazil. But he made sense; because it was a magical ride -- from a life less than ordinary to extraordinaire.

The players have their own tales to share. They come from different areas of the city (one belongs to Quetta), and have seen a lot in their formative years -- experimented with drugs, abused, deliberated over joining criminal gangs -- but the only thing they have in common was an undying passion for the game of football.

"I was horrible at my studies and also hated long hours of work. It was only football that I played with interest, I knew I was wasting my time but I wouldn’t think much," said Aurangzeb, who plays in the forward position in the team.

A game that hardly has a following in the country when compared to cricket, the street children belong to localities in the city that has a tradition of following the world’s most popular sport. "I just grew up playing football. Never dreamt of being acknowledged for my skills beyond the ground where we played," said Aurangzeb.

But there is one man who dared to dream big and it was their coach Rashid. In his mid-twenties, Rashid, a life-long footballer leading a live in and out of poverty, gathered the boys and lent them the confidence and the motivation.

"It was not easy, nobody really believed me when I first approached the players. Boys won’t show up for regularly during practicing sessions,’ he said while talking to The News on Sunday. But the coach was adamant to assemble a team. In fact he was assigned to do so by an NGO working with street children that made the arrangement for the Pakistani team to participate in the world cup.

"We did not have a proper place to start with the practice session," said Rashid, "but with time things begin to look bright and finally we were able to travel to Brazil and make our mark."

The Pakistan team defeated India by a margin of 13-0. "It’s a match that I cannot possibly forget," said the captain Sameer Ahmed, who is the goalkeeper in the team.

The Indians won the tournament in the previous world cup; they were considered dangerous. "But the moment the game began, we found them to be the weakest of the teams." Pakistan had already secured the scoring 9 goals in the first half.

With so much going in the country, the boys never thought that they’d be greeted with such fanfare at the airport. "I never knew people were following our progress in the tournament, so far off from Pakistan," said Meher Ali, another team member.

The moment they emerged from the airport, the eleven teenagers were veritable stars. "I cannot explain that moment. Nobody told me that there were so many people waiting outside for us," said Rajab, another team member.

And then the magic ride began.

The government of Sindh literally adopted the kids. They announced to sponsor their education till the Masters Degree and offered job to the captain in the social welfare department. Amid constant media glare, the players were invited to the Sindh Assembly, Bilalwal House; Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s headquarter Nine Zero. Cash prizes were showered on the boys who made the country proud. If the government keeps its promises, their lives, in likelihood, are at least financially secured.

Basking in the new-found celebrity status, the boys in Pakistan’s street children team are now aiming big. They all want to pursue their dream of becoming serious footballers, represent Pakistan in the FIFA World Cup some day.

But Sameer says that he has his foot on the ground. "I never played for the acknowledgement. Though, I must add, it feels great. Football is my passion. I will keep improving my game. And I know for a fact that you (the media) will forget me soon. But as I said it was never for you in the first place."