The 2022 World Cup
Preface: This blog has been in my drafts for nearly 1 year. Originally, I wanted to publish it at the end of March. But, a new job with the Portland Trail Blazers, coaching for the Thorns FC Academy, and playing on a soccer team in the USL W League, life got pretty busy. Not to mention, as a “perfectionist”, I tend to hinder myself from posting things until I feel it’s exactly how I want it (and even then, I may go back and edit this down the road). With that being said, I finally present, my delayed recap of The 2022 World Cup.
The other day, someone asked how life has been since we last saw one another. A couple months had passed, so I recounted in chronological order: “Well, I went to the World Cup in Qatar.” Their jaw drop. “Get out! Tell me all about it!”
It’s hard to capture the emotion and sensation of a World Cup experience. It was truly a once in a life time adventure filled with exciting memories. In attempt to describe my journey at one of the world’s greatest sporting events, I’ll answer the five W’s: who, what, where, when, and why.
WHO:
Sharing this experience of the 2022 World Cup with Gilda Doria made the trip amazing. Gilda is my best friend. Growing up and competing on rival soccer teams in South Florida, we started our relationship as opponents. It wasn’t until December 2005, when Delray Red Hots invited me as a guest player to Disney Showcase, that the seed of Gilda and my friendship was planted. I was 13 years old and an outsider competing for a spot in the tournament - guest playing as a teenager can be intimidating. Gilda was the star player of Red Hots and loved by the coach, players and parents. In my eyes, she was the cool girl. So when the cool girl is the only one on the team who invites you to frolic with the group around the hotel, you gladly tag along.
As we got older, we joined forces on the same club, Team Boca, and went on to win State Titles, leagues, tournaments, and an epic Region III Championship. Gilda went on to play at Duke where she was co-captain of her team with an extensive list of accomplishments. I played in the SEC for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Our bond only grew stronger throughout our collegiate careers. After graduating with degrees from top universities, we found ways to stay connected and it often involved cleats. From pickup in Dallas, Boston and NYC, to soccer tennis in the desert of Joshua Tree, when Gilda and I are together, a soccer ball is always involved.
17 years later from guest playing, I’m thankful to say that Gilda is my soul sister.
The Glory Team Boca Days
Gilda and I were some of a few girls who drove an hour and half, sometimes two hours, one-way to practice. Always grateful for our parents (and teammates’ parents) who sacrificed their time to get us to training.
So what happens when you and your soul sister are wide awake at 3 AM and have a deep-dive-conversation about how futbol transformed your lives? Your late night FaceTime progresses to a research frenzy of Google Flights, hotels.com, Trivago, and Ticketmaster. You receive intel from soccer sources, apply for a Hayya card, create an extensive Google Doc and include your own FIFA Player Rankings to build the hype.
When Gilda and I touched down in Doha, I knew this was going to be a life changing trip. Gilda was in the starting phase of creating SoccerHead - an app that serves as a centralized marketplace and community to make soccer affordable and accessible. I’d spent the past year rehabbing my knee and watching hundreds of hours of soccer to fuel my hunger of getting back on the pitch. This World Cup was an opportunity for the two of us to be inspired on a different level. Little did we know, it’d be our most epic trip to date.
Our First Game of WC22
Match 54: Brazil vs Korea Republic at Stadium 974. Constructed of 974 shipping containers as a nod to Qatar’s +974 international dialing code, this stadium was designed to be dismantled and reassembled elsewhere. Within our first match, we witnessed five goals in a 4-1 victory for Brazil.
During our walk to the game, I purchased this flag from a young Qatari boy. In 2013, my Vanderbilt soccer team spent a week in Rio de Janeiro, so this country has a special place in my heart. I love Brazilian culture: futbol, food, music, fashion and overall lifestyle. People of Brazil are some of the most talented and special humans who live life to its fullest.
The Paraguay to my Philippines, Gilda’s fluent Spanish helped us connect with countless fans throughout our trip. Her bilingual abilities even scored two interviews with TV reporters. One of those interviews happened at Souq Waqif when a reporter asked Gilda, “Who is the best player in the World Cup?” With zero hesitation, Gilda answered, “Messi.” As two girls who grew up mesmerized by Lionel Messi, it was a bucket-list accomplishment to witness him play. We’ve watched countless World Cup matches together, whether it be at each others’ homes, restaurants, bars, or the most recent time when we caught the 2019 Women’s World Cup Final at Blue Ribbon Sports (the very first Nike store in Santa Monica).
Throwback to Summer 2019
Nike Legacy League x VBFC at Blue Ribbon Sports watching the Women’s World Cup Final, USA vs. Netherlands. Can you spot me and Gilda?
The Voice of Brazil
Prior to leaving for Match 56 - Portugal vs. Switzerland - Gilda and I grabbed a drink at our hotel lobby. Sitting there, we befriended a man at the bar. After sharing a little about our journey and how we’d just witnessed Brazil beat South Korea, we learned that he was also at the same game. Not just watching, but commentating play by play as the official commentator for Brazil. We had the pleasure of meeting Mario Henrique Caixa, a soccer figure from the beautiful country of Brazil.
Obregado Mario!
But December 9, 2022 would go down to be our most adventurous soccer outing: a day chasing Quarterfinals. We watched the entire regulation between Brasil vs. Croatia at Education City Stadium. The game would go into overtime and eventually penalties, but we sacrificed missing the extra time between Neymar and Modric in order to make it to the main show: Argentina vs. The Netherlands.
Chasing Quarterfinals
December 9, 2022
Quarterfinal: Brasil vs. Croatia
Education City Stadium
By the grace of the soccer gods, we obtained four tickets to Argentina vs. Netherlands (thanks to our new friend Ticket Father who sat next to us during the Brasil vs. South Korea game). So, we had an extra pair of tickets. As we watched the Brazilians battle the Croatians, we bonded with strangers in our aisle: a young man from Pakistan named Talha and an Egyptian man from NYC named Karim. If you know Gilda, you know her generous heart of gold - Gilda offered the extra tickets to our new acquaintances. I can vividly remember the two of them in disbelief. Karim had spent the past week trying to find a ticket to this match. Call it the law of attraction, we all manifested watching Messi play. So with our new friends, we raced from Education City Stadium to Lusail Stadium.
Over 88,000 attendees; a sea of sky blue jerseys; a sliver of orange; a futbol icon. Welcome to the Quarterfinal Match at Lusail Stadium between Argentina and The Netherlands.
Viva Argentina
December 9, 2022: Moments before kickoff. Also, moments before Gilda cried tears of joy from finally witnessing Messi play.
Quarterfinal: Argentina vs. Netherlands
Lusail Stadium
This World Cup was incredible, but what truly made it so special was the person I shared the experience with.
WHAT:
Google “What is the World Cup” and you’ll get the generic Wikipedia answer: The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body.
Sure, that’s the single, most straightforward sentence to describe it. Also, interesting that Wiki only specifies men, despite the World Cup being a women’s tournament as well. Nonetheless, what the description fails to mention is how the World Cup is so much more than a sporting event.
During my flight to Qatar, I wrote this list of what I imagined the World Cup would be:
Insane matches
Goals
Surrounded by people who love what you love
Joy
Adventure
Competition
Learning about a new country and culture
Laughter
Connection
Friendship
Embracing the unknown
Witnessing history being made
Being open-minded
Opportunity
Core memories
In the moment (on phone less)
Fun days
Epic nights
Dinners filled with laughter and good convos
Strangers who become friends
My list was spot on.
So many moments excite a stadium: goals, megs, slide tackles, breakaways, and God forbid, pitch invaders. For 90+ minutes, millions of eyes are captivated by 22 players moving around an Adidas World Cup ball. It’s seeing years and decades of hard work come down to a single game. It’s the difference between an inch too far or a second too late. It’s veteran legends fighting against rising young stars. You never know what can happen: underdogs upset champions; referees reward a defying PK; a Ballon d’Or winner gets injured and ruled out from participating in the tournament days before kickoff. The game is relentless, and when it’s on the World’s biggest stage, stakes are at their ultimate high.
WHERE:
There’s no denying the 2022 location of the World Cup was controversial. Before departing to Qatar, I watched the Netflix Docuseries, FIFA Uncovered. Politics, power, country leaders, and FIFA all mixed together. When something so joyful and pure can be weaponized and corrupted, it takes the beauty away from the game. My internal compass was navigating, “Is this the right thing to do?”
I’ve never traveled to a Middle Eastern country. This was a chance to experience an Arab country’s culture and see what this part of the world is like. When I returned home, people asked, how was Qatar. I’d answer, “The city of Doha reminds me of a Miami, NYC, and Las Vegas with the cleanliness of Dubai.” Qatar was spotless. The streets and sidewalks looked as though they’d been mopped daily. Everything was immaculate. At night, the city lit up with a skyline of color and unique architecture. Beyond the cleanliness and aesthetics, it was the people that made it so enjoyable. The Qatari people we met were so friendly and kind. Every person - flight attendants, airport staff, Uber drivers, hotel concierge, market vendors, waiters, traffic instructors - was eager to help us and did so in the most respectful manner.
That being said, I recognize there were violations of human rights, women rights, and LBGTQ rights. Although I’m not an investigative journalist, I asked many questions to the people I interacted with. Indeed, perspectives vary, but for the most part, I received positive remarks. The average-every-day person felt proud to be a part of a worldly spectacle. To this day, I still try to learn more about FIFA and dive into the different angles and point of views. I think one of the best ways to learn is to physically go to a place and hear from the people first hand and experience their culture. I believe this is what makes traveling priceless.
In regards to the actual pitches, the proximity of stadiums made this World Cup an interesting one. All venues were located 55 km (about 34 miles) radius from Qatar’s capital, Doha. Having stadiums so close to one another seemed that fans were able to access more games. A friend I met at Venice Beach Football Club had the experience of attending every match of the World Cup. Ben Black caught all 64 matches of the 2022 World Cup! Check out a recap of his journey and other futbol adventures.
WHEN:
This was the first World Cup played outside the traditional June and July months. The WC is known to be the summer celebration in the States. I grew up watching games and would immediately hit the soccer field after a match. It was odd when the tournament kicked off in November with a final set for December.
We’d waited four years since the epic 2018 World Cup. Not to mention, we experienced the world’s first pandemic. People were hungry for sports. The 2020 Olympics had been postponed a year. Luckily, the World Cup was on schedule. Actually, it was a couple months delayed. Nonetheless, it was on track to happen after another four-year wait.
Because the tournament was held in Qatar with a desert climate, the games were pushed to November - December. A couple extra months isn’t too bad to wait, especially during the holiday season - props to FOX Soccer for their cheeky World Cup kick off video. As a November baby, this meant soccer on my birthday. Another reason why making this trip was worthwhile, it was a celebration of life for hitting a milestone 30 years old.
WHY:
I truly believe sport inspires and brings people together unlike anything else. Fútbol is the world’s sport. You can be from polar sides of earth, but if you and a stranger have a ball at your feet, you can communicate through that ball - there’s an unspoken connection. The relationships we build through sport are some of the most cherished friendships and mentorships. Fútbol unites. Teams play for their country, and countries watch their heroes. The world loves this game, and I’ve loved it from the first time I kicked a ball at the age of three. It feels impossible to measure the impact soccer has on my life.
This tournament was extra special - it was debatably the last dance for Messi and Ronaldo. The notorious soccer question of the past two decades: who is the goat? Well, WC2022 finally settled that debate. How lucky were Gilda and I to catch them both live in action?
A Memorable Day at Souq Waqif
This famous marketplace of Doha is a tourist hotspot. When Gilda and I were walking through the streets, we noticed something was missing. Gilda looked at me and said, “Ash, you know what this place needs? A soccer ball.”
If you’re lucky to know Gilda, then you know she has a heart of gold and an infectious joy that spreads like wildfire. While on the search for a ball, Gilda befriended two young girls at the store. As Gilda counted her cash to pay for the ball, the owner of the store smiled and said “No, take it - it’s all yours.” The owner was the girls’ father and had witnessed the entire interaction. We juggled with the family and within seconds a crowd started to form around us. Strangers jumped in and started to freestyle. The sound of laughter filled this corner of the market. Phones and cameras came out.
This ball was a testament to the universal language that is fútbol. We’d pass the ball with random folks. Some were hesitant, others seized the moment. But everyone had a smile when we played the ball to them.
Check out Gilda’s interview of how the evening went in this video.
One of my favorite things about traveling to different countries is learning about other people. At Goal Click’s GOALS series hosted at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, we listened to inspiring futbol stories about where the sport has taken them and how the game impacts their communities. One of my favorite journeys was female Iranian football coach, Mahboobeh Razavi. You can read her article, “A Bright Future Ahead,” here. Before leaving the event, Gilda and I spoke to Mahboobeh and thanked her for sharing her story. Mahboobeh explained her dream of coaching in a Women’s FIFA World Cup one day. I look forward to seeing her instructing and encouraging on the sideline during a match of the world’s biggest futbol stage.
Coach Mahboobeh
Women in soccer: Gilda, Mahboobeh, and me at Goal Click’s GOALS exhibit in Education City.
Read Mahboobeh’s article here and get inspired by her journey of coaching in football: “I tried to capture the moments to show football is for all, regardless of gender, physical appearance, race, age, and religion. Football gathers people of different cultures together to follow common goals - from fun drills to competitive matches.”
Mahboobeh’s coaching philosophy reminds me of two people
1) My first and original coach, my Dad
2) My favorite youth coach, Scott Baker
All three of them instill the power of positive thinking and bringing out the best in their players, not only as athletes, but as people.
“As a player, I felt the power of positive thinking deep down in my heart. Our thoughts create reality. We must believe we can win, and then there must be unity, hard work, and belief in our power.”
-Mahboobeh
Futbol film photography from Goal Click’s Exhibition: Stories of football culture, community, and life in the year of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 from the perspective of more than 40 people living and working in Qatar.
One special memory happened when the Brazilian stands brought a Pelé banner with his portrait and a message that said, “Pelé Get Well Soon.” Just weeks later, we’d say goodbye to the King of Futbol. The impact Pelé made in soccer cannot be measured.
A beautiful moment: Brazilian fans wave a giant flag that said “Pele Get Well Soon” during Match 54.
WRAP IT UP:
So, there you have it. My five W’s to my 2022 World Cup experience. Thank you for taking the time to read my verbose monologue. I don’t think I can fully capture what this trip meant to me and the memories it holds in my heart. But from hereon, it lives on this page. Al Rihla
