12-Year-Old's FIFA Art Win Lands His Design on Brazil's World Cup Bus
A 12-year-old student from New Bedford, Massachusetts is getting global recognition for combining his love of art and soccer.
Leo Silveria, a sixth grader at Nativity Preparatory School, moved from Brazil to Massachusetts 5 years ago. "I like art. I draw a lot every day," Silveria said. "I loved soccer since I was in Brazil."
His art teacher, Aleisea Guzman, quickly noticed both passions. "Interest in art and a great interest in soccer. So, I knew that those two combined would be awesome for him," Guzman said.
Guzman encouraged her students to enter an international contest hosted by FIFA and Hyundai, inviting children to submit artwork for a chance to have it displayed on official World Cup team buses.
"When I was younger and I was in school, my teacher got me into a contest and winning that contest just gave me a lot of confidence and it kept me going in my art career," Guzman explained.
Leo was all in, using colored pencils he said his idea was influenced by a picture connected to his favorite Brazilian soccer team.
"At first we got an idea from another art which was from my team from Brazil, Vasco De Gama, which was a drawing of a guy holding a banner saying 'we will resist' because that time we were fighting against relegation and I got inspired by it and I used that drawing so I used it and did my own story and that's how I got my idea," he said.
His final piece, featuring fans surrounding a man holding a "Vamos Brasil" banner, took about a week to complete.
Months later, Leo learned his artwork had been selected as one of the winners out of thousands of submissions.
"I was not expecting me to win it. I was very excited. My mom showed it to me. We celebrated a lot," he said.
His design will now be displayed on the Brazilian National Team bus carrying them to the matches on the sport's biggest stage.
Leo is hoping one player in particular sees it.
"I'm probably going to feel very happy that I'm going to be the person who has their drawing on their bus and supporting them from the stadium," he said, referring to his favorite player, Neymar Jr.
As part of the prize, Leo and his father will receive two tickets and airfare to watch Brazil take on Morocco at MetLife Stadium this June.
