‘Two bags and a dream’: Yasmim Soares’ journey from Cidade de Deus

The Cidade de Deus, or City of God, for English speakers, was made famous on a global scale because of a movie with the same name that came out in 2002.

One of the biggest favelas in Brazil, the Cidade de Deus, became celebrated because of its profound dichotomy, where people fought for a shot at life, whether in the light or the darkness.

Among the hundreds of thousands of residents, some have found a way into life through sports, such as the Yaras’ slick speedster, Yasmim Luiza de Lima Soares.

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Born and raised in that community, she grew up in a tight-knit family, with her grandparents being her main supporters, pushing their granddaughter to believe in her talents and passions.

“They’ve always been in my corner, backing me up and making me believe that I could achieve my dreams. When I had the chance to become a pro rugby player, they embraced me and told me to go, even if it meant being 2000 km away from them,” the 26-year-old says.

Soares, who had done well as a track and field athlete, only found out about rugby when she was 19, and it was due to a friend.

“My first steps were taken in the Guanabara project. One day, a friend told me to come to rugby. I had never heard about it before. Ironically, my friend never showed up, but I did!”

She caught a bus and, after 90 minutes, finally arrived at the Vila Olímpica Prof Manoel José Gomes Tubino, where the Guanabara training grounds were located. It was a football pitch that, for one hour, was transformed into a rugby pitch, allowing players to learn all about a new sport.

“My first impression of it was ‘What are they doing over there?’, as some players seemed to be in a very tight embrace, trying to shrug off. I had no idea what they were doing, but Simon, my first coach, noticed me and told me to come along. The practice session went well, and he asked me to come back the next day, which I did.”

Soares confides that she has always enjoyed sports. She had no problem running and working hard, as the now five-Test wing only wanted to develop her skills. However, those physical talents became a problem when she was younger.

“I was so fast when I was a kid that I managed to be sidelined by my classmates,” the 26-year-old wing remembers.

“In our sports classes, we played a couple of running games, girls to one side, boys to the other. As I was the quickest, the girls got fed up with me and didn’t want to race against me. So, I was put in with the boys… and it went the same way. No one wanted to race with me. I felt sad, but my sports teacher told me, ‘Why do you feel sad? You are great! You are so quick! Be happy, you are born to be an athlete!’”

After leaving handball and track and field athletics, Soares took a traffic warden course, but it was short-lived, as rugby had made a nest in her schedule. The oval sport would become her main ‘thing’ all because of a coach.

“Simon made all the difference. He wanted to teach, to guide us and to share his love for rugby. I felt welcomed in rugby. I felt that I mattered. I didn’t need to be a pushover or fight for attention.”

Unfortunately, the Guanabara project closed its doors in 2020, with staff and players having to find a new ‘home’. Eventually, they would create a new club called El-Shaddai. For Yasmim Soares, it wasn’t the end, as she was picked by Melina, the only professional women’s rugby side in Brazil at the time.

“It was a whole new challenge. Melina had the best infrastructure and signed players from all over the country. However, if I wanted to go there, I would have to move from my home. It was hard for me. I loved my grandparents.”

In January 2020, she packed only a backpack and a 23 kg bag, got on a bus and departed for Mato Grosso, a Brazilian state 2000 km away from Cidade de Deus.

“I left for Melina with two bags and a dream: to be a pro player. That was it. I wanted to experience what it was like to be a high-performance athlete. It was a change of tune, as we practised twice a day plus gym sessions.”

After two years in which she helped her new club win several titles, Yasmim Soares would face a new challenge: the national team. While she admits to being nervous when she was invited to join the Yaras 15s national team camps, she couldn’t refuse the opportunity of a lifetime.

“I got there and remember getting goosebumps! I was sharing the same pitch as with players that I’ve only watched on my TV or computer. However, I didn’t for a single minute doubt that I deserved to be there. I couldn’t let my family down, the family that pushed me to reach this level.”

Soares was worried that an injury could mean losing her spot in Melina, but those worries were short-lived, as the wing wanted more. In 2022, she would become a fully fledged Yara, only three years after her first rugby practice.

“The 11th of November 2022. My first time wearing the amarelinha [nickname for the official Brazilian sports jersey]. We faced Colombia, and I scored an interception try. My heart felt like it was going to explode, but I kept sprinting down the field until I reached the try area. Bang! My first cap and first try!”

While she had made an impact in her first appearance for the 15s national team, Soares was drafted to the sevens programme, fitting like a glove. In no time, she was selected to play in the World Series and eventually would be involved in the 2024 Olympics.

“It all happened in quick succession. My first SVNS stage was in France, playing against Australia… and one year later, I was in Paris for the Summer Olympics. I had finally made it, and my grandmother was watching everything from home.”

As her grandfather had departed in 2024, Soares remained close to her grandmother, sharing her experiences, trips and stories with the person she loves the most. For Soares, it is the minimum she can do for someone who has changed her life.

“I show everything I can to her. Every trip I make, every museum I go to, hotel, etc. For me, it is all about sharing my journey. Without my grandparents’ efforts, I wouldn’t be here. Unfortunately, my grandfather isn’t with us anymore, but my grandmother is, and she deserves the best.”

After the SVNS debut in 2023, Soares was deemed a first-team player and was eventually selected to be among the 14 Yaras set to contest for the medals in Paris.

Although the Brazilians ultimately didn’t qualify for the medal race, Soares and her teammates enjoyed a handful of spectacular moments, with one deserving a special mention.

“I’ve enjoyed so many great moments, but that try against Fiji in the Olympics is still at the top. More than 80,000 people in the stands, shouting, supporting, and cheering loudly. We were boxed inside our try area, and then someone made a turnover,” the wing recalls in detail.

“I remember hearing ‘Roda para a Yais’, which means pass the ball to Yasmim. The buzzer goes off, and I start running like I’m back in school, outpacing everyone. I placed the ball down and then just felt my teammates embracing me. The roar of the crowd was spectacular. Oh, how I loved the 2024 Olympics!”

Brazil finished in 10th, showing ambition and growth, with Yasmim Soares seen as one of their main threats. Having the Yaras 15s qualified for the 2025 World Cup a few weeks earlier, the wing was selected for the training camps and held her place in the team to earn a spot in the final 32-player list.

Although she missed the opening game of Brazil’s World Cup campaign, Soares was picked to start against France.

“The anthem was an unreal experience. I kept saying to myself, ‘Don’t make an ugly face. Please don’t make a weird, ugly face, because I felt deeply emotional and proud about it. The game was going to be tough, but I didn’t care, as we deserved to be there. The Yaras deserved to hear the national anthem be sung in a Rugby World Cup.”

Although the thrilling sprinter did not score her team’s first try, she was incredibly happy when Bianca Silva crossed the line, as she remembers.

“I told Bianca, ‘você é fo**’. I can’t say the rest, as it is a naughty word, be it in Brazil or in the UK. Our first-ever try, and she pulled a magic trick to elude everyone. I kept saying thank you to Bianca, thank you for allowing us to experience what it is like to score a try in a World Cup.”

For Soares, having had the chance to enjoy so much in under six years has been insanely powerful, and a lesson that a better life is possible with work, passion, luck and love, even if you were born in one of the biggest favelas in the world.

“The worst thing about Cidade de Deus is how much talent goes to waste,” she confides.

“There are thousands of kids with insane potential, and they deserve every chance to show it. Sports are one of the few doors to escape from a life of deep struggle. Cidade de Deus is frozen in time, and when you step out of it, you find out a whole new universe filled with so many new experiences.”

Even if she faced hardship in Cidade de Deus, she remains insanely proud of being from that community, a place she loves with all her heart.

“I feel that people from Cidade de Deus are proud of me. When I arrive at my grandmother’s street, people come to hug me and talk with me. It takes a bit to get to my family home, but I enjoy it. I love seeing children come to me and say, ‘You played in the Olympics for Brazil. I want to be just like you.’ They see that dreams can become true.”

While Yasmim Soares daydreamed as a child, she is now determined to make every one of those dreams a reality, not just for herself, but for everyone who has helped her along the way.

“The Olympics and World Cup are the pinnacle of an athlete’s life, and I got to play in both. That’s why it matters so much to me to play for my country. I’m not representing only myself, but my family, friends, and everyone who fights every day to have a better life. I’m here because of the effort of a lot of people, and that’s why I won’t let them down.”