By Mark Meadows
MILAN (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton told players at soccer's homeless World Cup on Thursday that his own humble background should make them realise that anything is possible in sport.
The 24-year-old Briton, the first black driver to win the world championship when he triumphed in his McLaren last year, grew up on a working class council estate and his parents divorced when he was two.
"Everyone here comes from very humble beginnings so I can at least relate to them," he told reporters at the event in Milan before heading up to Monza to prepare for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
"No one knows the struggles they have. When I walk the streets there's always people kicking a ball. They are all quite young and have a long life ahead of them. With this opportunity they've just got to go out there and play their hearts out.
Homeless players from 48 countries are competing in the seventh annual World Cup in Milan which runs for a week. Scouts from top clubs have attended in the past as they seek to pluck a future big name from such underprivileged backgrounds.
"They have a second chance in life and everybody deserves a second chance," added Hamilton, who is now a multi-millionaire and is dating pop singer Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls.
The racing driver kicked off the homeless match between England and Portugal and said he watched part of the senior team's 5-1 victory over Croatia on Wednesday which sealed their passage to next year's World Cup.
"I got to see a few of the goals. It seemed quite an easy game. It's great to see we got through," he said.
Hamilton, wildly applauded when he met players from each homeless team, was enjoying having a break from his racing duties but did comment on speculation that Formula One teams could have three cars next season.
"My whole life watching Formula One, it's been with two cars. So it would be a bit strange (having three cars)," he said.
(Editing by Alison Wildey)
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