Football may not always appear as idyllic as here on Boa Viagem beach in Recife, Brazil, where youngsters enjoy a kickabout in the shadow of the city’s tower blocks. But its importance for youth development has been proven all over the world. For years, GIZ has been harnessing the enthusiasm football generates – in Brazil, South Africa and Ukraine, for example – to strengthen and foster the social skills of youngsters with limited prospects. Photographer: Ricardo Moraes Game of two halves