Neymar, Messi Will Convert World Cup Goals Into School Meals

One World Cup goal could mean lunch for as many as 10,000 children in Latin America and the Caribbean if it's scored by soccer players Lionel Messi or Neymar Jr. during this year's event in Russia.

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Kicking off on Latin America's 'Dia de Nino' (Day of the Child), the two athletes told local media that every goal they score during the 2018 World Cup will be converted into a "voucher" for 10,000 school meals to be donated to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

"I am proud to be part of this campaign that will help change the lives of thousands of children in my country and in other regions of the world, and I hope that this initiative will produce as many children's smiles as possible," said Messi, an Argentinian native famed for his accomplishments with F.C. Barcelona.

He can expect some competition on the pitch this year: Brazil's Neymar, a newly initiated member of Club Paris Saint-Germain, made the front pages last month when he was named French League Player of the Year.

Neymar said he was "happy" to help make sure "children in the region will have a plate of food and a hopeful outlook."

"We, as Latin Americans, know we can do great things when we unite and this is an example of that: together we can fight hunger," Neymar said.

The initiative is part of a movement which began last year and was promoted by Mastercard to inspire celebrities to use their influence to help Latin American youths.

Entitled #JuntosSomos10 (#TogetherWeAre10), the campaign promotes the message of health, hope and generosity.

"More than 40 million people throughout Latin America suffer from hunger, of which many of them are children, and combating hunger and child malnutrition is a way to support education and is key to reversing the cycle of poverty," said the campaign's president, Ana Ferrel.

WFP Regional Director Miguel Barreto praised the movement, saying: "Providing Latin American and worldwide children with access to a nutritious daily meal ensures better physical and cognitive development."

Messi and Neymar are the first soccer players to pledge their support for the initiative, part of a general push to improve food security in Latin America and the Caribbean.