By Anne-Marie Olczak

There is a photo of Emma “Zero” Bellante on the home page of the CSSA website. Her smile is huge, the Canadian flag in her hands, her teammates behind her. She looks exuberant, fierce, and ready to take on the next nine days playing for Canada. 

That moment exists because, in the winter of 2025, Zero decided to say yes. 

Emma “Zero” Bellante

Soccer had been a part of Zero’s life since she was four years old. Early on, she showed real promise, eventually captaining Ontario Cup–winning teams. She was talented—there were even potential U.S. scholarships on the horizon. But around the age of 16, things began to shift. Her drive disappeared, and her connection to the game faded. 

“My mental health had plummeted, and I had found that I was no longer capable or interested in continuing my path in soccer. I had lost my passion, and due to this, I lost my friends, and any physical fitness I once spent all my time improving.” 

Emma stepped away from the game for nearly ten years. Things began to change when she became involved with the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Early Psychosis Intervention program. As part of the program, participants are introduced to different resources and community opportunities—one of which was the Canadian Street Soccer Association. 

Zero admits she was apprehensive at first. She worried it might bring up unpleasant memories and feelings from the past. But in the winter of 2025, she attended her first CSSA session. 

It was different from traditional soccer—faster, with fewer players, and a completely new kind of energy. Not competitive. Not judgmental. Just a group of people coming together to have fun and play a game they love. 

Zero quickly became a regular participant and was soon encouraged by coach Ed Kiwanuka-Quinlan and CSSA CEO Hossam Khedr to take part in a tournament in Mississauga that May. It was a chance to showcase her skills in this new version of the game. 

“I met new players from other places: Toronto, Montreal, and others. There was a lot of press there and many other people too. It felt real. It felt new and exciting. I knew then, that I was so lucky to be involved in such an amazing program. I felt like I was nourishing my life in a new way I had never experienced. I felt a part of something.”

Not long after, Zero was introduced to the idea of traveling to Oslo. 

“Hossam was very excited to tell me all about it. He would tell me each week ‘We are going to Norway, we are at about 70% now!’ And the following week would be ‘We are going, 75% now’. Each week the percentage increased and it became more real to me that this was an actual possibility.”

While excited, she was also nervous. Still, she had made a promise to herself—to say yes to opportunities despite anxiety or doubt. That decision would change her life.

Leading the Parade

Before the start of the games, Zero—along with teammate Daniel Théberge—led the athletes’ parade through central Oslo, setting the tone for the energy that would carry through the entire tournament. 

Their first match, a friendly against Greece, offered a glimpse of what was to come. The details of the game itself are a blur. She describes it as surreal—almost dreamlike. What mattered most was how quickly the team came together. 

“I had a team, which became my family. We clicked so well. I was in Norway! With all new people. I know I felt eternally grateful.”

The eight players and coaching staff became exactly that—a family. And while the matches themselves were meaningful, it was everything around them that stayed with her: shared meals, post-game ice cream, dancing and singing to Bob Marley, meeting the people of Oslo, bike rides, train trips, and everyday moments in between. 

These are the memories Emma holds closest. Strong friendships were formed—with her roommate May Nakintu, and with members of the Norwegian women’s team. Each day brought new connections and new stories. 

For Zero, Oslo was “nothing short of unbelievable and life-changing.”

Homeless World Cup – Team Canada 2025

Since returning from Norway, Zero has committed to continuing her involvement with CSSA. On Tuesday nights, you’ll find her running the street soccer program in Brampton—a program she helped start just last year. 

She has also played a key role in developing a women’s street soccer program in Mississauga, held on Saturdays. Alongside teammate May Nakintu and CSSA’s Sonia Azam, she helps lead a growing, welcoming space for women to come together, play, and connect. With childcare available, the program removes barriers and creates an environment where participants can socialize, stay active, and have fun. 

Emma continues her work with CMHA as well, sharing her story of mental health, addiction, and precarious housing. It’s important to her that others see what’s possible—that these programs can make a real difference. 

Between singing and songwriting, coaching, community work, and a full-time job, Zero Bellante has a full year ahead. 

“It seems after the World Cup, many new things seemed more attainable and doable for me.”

Sometimes, it starts with simply saying yes.