Their journey began as they danced barefoot on a dusty street in Uganda in 2014, and will soon reach the FIFA World Cup stage at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium in the coming weeks.

The Ghetto Kids, a Ugandan dance troupe composed of street children, expressed excitement at being invited by Colombian singer Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll to perform at the World Cup this year.

The soccer tournament, set to kick off on June 11, will span the US, Mexico and Canada. The last World Cup final drew more than a billion viewers worldwide, according to FIFA.

Shakira announced in May that the group, composed of orphaned or vulnerable children, will join her for the final on July 19. The children have already appeared in the video for her song Dai Dai, the official anthem of the tournament.

"I've already invited the Ghetto Kids from Uganda," Shakira said in a video on social media, adding she wanted the performance to feel "unforgettable".