Former Danish professional football player Johnni Nielsen founded a non-profit football team in Taiwan, worked as the team's free coach, and developed 100 young football players during his 13 years there. Although the team's high costs forced Johnni and his Taiwanese wife to foreclose on their Danish home and even mortgage their home there, they still want to assist Taiwanese youths in realizing their football goals.
Former Danish professional football player Johnni Nielsen founded a non-profit football team in Taiwan, worked as the team's free coach, and developed 100 young football players during his 13 years there.Photo reproduced from F.C. Vikings Facebook
Because his daughter had Down syndrome, professional football player Johnni Nielsen of Denmark, who retired from the sport in 2009 due to an injury, made the decision to relocate the kid to Taiwan, where his wife was from, so she could live there and get care. Johnni, who was a full-time coach of the European League and a player with professional football talents, intended to teach youngsters who enjoyed playing football in Taiwan via his professionalism.
A Danish coach mortgages his house to borrow money to help Taiwanese children realize their football dreams.Photo reproduced from F.C. Vikings Facebook
Later, Johnni founded the nonprofit team F. C. Vikings in Taiwan, where interested kids may play for no cost. However, in addition to coaching the team for free, Johnni also paid some of the players' tuition out of his own money in order to prepare the team for international events.
A Danish coach mortgages his house to borrow money to help Taiwanese children realize their football dreams.Photo reproduced from F.C. Vikings Facebook
Read more: NGOs publish a parallel report on ICERD with The Garden of Hope Foundation
Formosa Football Association, FFA was founded in July of this year by a group of football professionals who came together to keep Johnni's football team afloat. They hoped to legalize and improve fundraising via the use of a more comprehensive fundraising mechanism to strengthen Taiwan's football team.
