News24 | Football fanatic goals! SA boy lands dream gig at FIFA World Cup as official ball carrier

Football fanatic Luca Human-Maré from Johannesburg has been selected as a FIFA World Cup 2026 ball carrier.

• Luca Human-Maré from Johannesburg won a competition to become one of only 104 official ball carriers at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.
• The young football enthusiast will hand the match ball directly to the referee at the centre of the pitch and walk onto the field with international players in front of thousands of spectators.
• Luca, 10, hopes to meet his idols, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, while representing South Africa at the tournament in the United States.

A young South African boy from Johannesburg has landed the dream of a lifetime by being selected as one of 104 FIFA World Cup 2026 ball carriers this year.

Luca Human-Maré, 10, won a Kia South Africa competition to go to the United States and will walk out at the beginning of matches at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which kicks off in June.

The requirements were that entrants should be aged 10 to 14, and “eat, sleep and breathe football”.

Luca fit the bill, showcasing his tricks and skills in online videos he makes as well as his love for playing for his club.

His mother, Liani Maré, and Luca put their heads together to come up with the perfect entry, and were over the moon when they heard this week that Luca had been selected.

“This is like a dream come true. I am very excited. I feel so happy,” said Luca, who enthused about his love for football.

“It’s been an amazing journey so far. I’ll keep pushing my limits, and it’s very fun,” he said.

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Rubbing shoulders with the greats

In a couple of months, Luca will be handing the official match ball directly to the referee at the centre of the pitch before the game starts. He will also walk onto the field with referees and international players in front of thousands of spectators.

Luca said he was looking forward to seeing his favourite football players and international teams.

He will be following the fixtures of Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, France, England, Germany, and Belgium.

“I would love, love to meet [Cristiano] Ronaldo. He’s like my idol. Meeting [Lionel] Messi would also be very great,” he beamed.

He also follows the South African national team, and his favourite Bafana Bafana player is Relebohile Mofokeng.

At club level, his favourite teams are Liverpool and Barcelona, and locally, he enjoys watching Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns.

One of the perks will be getting his own World Cup kit and ticking off a bucket list item at such a tender age.

The support of a parent

For Luca, getting to experience the opportunity with his mom is the icing on the cake because she has supported all his dreams with his football videos.

“When he was eight, he asked us at the time if he could play soccer at a club. So, then we enrolled him, and he fell in love,” Maré said.

She beamed at the thought of watching her son walk out as the sole South African ball carrier flying to the event.

“I think there’s nothing more special than seeing your child with this massive dream. And it doesn’t just remain a dream. This is now a reality.

“We are very grateful to have this as an opportunity,” Maré added.

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