Our Tackling Skills reporters contributed to the BBC Sport website throughout and here they reflect on a stunning competition and their amazing experiences.

Kate Wilson Tackling Skills reporter

I spent 10 days in South Africa covering the Homeless World Cup and not one day went by without a story unfolding or meeting someone interesting.

The football blew me away, but it was more than just a sporting tournament.

There are so many characters from the team squads that I could tell you about.

Russia beat Kazakhstan 1-0 to lift the Homeless World Cup

There were so many matches that had me shouting and screaming and I met so many inspirational people.

The location in Cape Town and table top mountain was just phenomenal.

Wow! I was lucky enough to be taken up there with the England team by their guide Spo who has lived in Cape Town his whole life.

The view was incredible and I could have sat up there all day.

All the social life was very exciting. We had one amazing night when I got to have another chat with my interviewee Lee Sharpe at a charity dinner.

The evening was all about raising money for a football project in South Africa.

I got to meet all these people who really opened my eyes to all these fantastic causes they are working on.

Despite all the rivalry on the football pitch, many of the players wound down from the intensity of the competition in a great place called the Dubliner in Cape Town.

It was a particular favourite with the Scottish, Irish and English teams.

Back to the action on the football pitch! It was just fabulous.

HOMELESS WORLD CUP STATS Nations playing: 48 Players: 496 Games played: 300 Total goals scored: 1800 Water consumed during tournament: 12,000 litres Bananas eaten during tournament: 10,000 World Cup volunteers: 270

I could take pages and pages to talk about the games. I believe England had the most skill and the Irish played with unbelievable passion.

It was deafening standing next to the Irish team when they were playing.

The Scottish team were great too - one of their players Lindsay Cooper won the best female of the tournament trophy.

The French goalkeeper won fans over, although perhaps not for his talent but for his great personality.

The South African reserve team were my favourite side outside of Britain and Ireland.

They played like they really had something to prove and prove it they did!

Also a special mention should go to the Zambians who had a nightmare with passports and documents.

They only received the necessary paperwork hours before they were due to travel to South Africa. The journey on a minibus for all the players and team staff sounded unbelievable.

Well done to them for even making it to the tournament!

I was really taken aback by the wonderful South Africa people.

I will save the heart-breaking stories for another day - especially with some of the children - but the thing I found most compelling was their attitude in sometimes very tough circumstances.

HOMELESS WORLD CUP PODIUM Champions: Russia Runners-up: Kazakhstan Premier's Cup: Kenya City of Edinburgh Cup: Ireland City of Cape Town Cup: Zambia Big Issue Cape Town Cup: Scotland INSP Trophy: Burundi Best Fair Play Team: Slovakia Best Mixed Team: Paraguay Best Female Player: Lindsay Cooper (Scotland) Best Male Player: Ronald Siame (Zambia)

I have never seen a nation smile as much. It was truly humbling.

The England team were heavily involved with a project called One Love and My Life which looked after some really talented kids.

I met one kid called Malcolm who could break dance amazingly for his age.

He was a keen footballer and clearly a very intelligent lad.

He is just one of many that could offer the world so much if only given the chance.

During the tournament I saw up close how the Homeless World Cup changes lives. I witnessed it every day.

My visit to South Africa for this year's World Cup has certainly changed my life.

If you can support the Homeless World Cup in any way you should.