Grassroots To Elite
Ahmed Hashim, Qatar
My name is Ahmed Hashim. I am a 25-year-old digital media executive whose life revolves almost entirely around football. Technically I am from India, but I have spent most of my life outside the country, having been born and raised in Qatar. It was in Qatar that I got my introduction to the beautiful game, when I was just four, watching the 1998 World Cup final on television, alongside my father. He showed me Zidane and Ronaldo – they were my first footballing heroes. That began my love for the World Cup, and football in general; it expanded my horizons and I started off on a journey to explore its wonderful world.
Football became my passion, although I was never good enough as a player! I did play the game at school and college level but soon discovered that my calling lay elsewhere. Since then, I have found my greatest joys in the various other aspects of football - helping form an amateur club in Hyderabad in India, working in digital media for different clubs and tournaments in Qatar, getting involved in community football and realizing that this is a game that actually breaks barriers and unites people. Now, in the run up to 2022, it’s like life has come full circle. The World Cup is coming to the country where I came to love it first.
Who is in the photos? Where were the photos taken?
I took photos at the Aspire Academy's facilities in Doha. They show the Al-Arabi Sports Club's football team training at one of Aspire's outdoor pitches, under the supervision of their coaching staff and officials, ahead of an Amir Cup knockout clash. There are also a group of Aspire Academy students who are practicing at a pitch located right next to their residential complex.
I also showed three Indian children playing football in the empty car park of a mosque situated in the Fereej Al Ali neighbourhood of Doha.
Finally there was a cameraman covering a free kick about to be taken by a Crescent Omega FC player against Care N Cure FC in the final of the 2019 QIA Champions League, an Indian expatriate football tournament, at Al-Ahli SC’s Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium in Al Hilal, Doha.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
I wanted to give a basic picture of the different levels of football being played in Qatar. On one hand, you have teams like Al Arabi and talented Aspire student-athletes practicing at one of the world’s best facilities at the Aspire Academy. You also have little kids playing on the street, maybe not aware of the chances they have, especially if they are born in Qatar, in addition to several academies that cater to those who are born outside the country as well. Community and amateur football is another big aspect of the game here and I tried to portray how far some of the local tournaments have grown in terms of importance.
As I clicked those photos of the kids playing on the street, I wondered if they were aware that there were two football stadiums a few miles apart in either direction - Al Arabi and Al Ahli. I always focus on expatriate involvement in Qatari football, so my natural first thoughts were to wonder if these kids would go on to get involved in some way with the local clubs. There’s nothing quite like that feeling of relating to your local club or making it a part of your identity.
What is your favourite photo? Why?
It was from the final of QIA Champions League, a tournament that I'm personally involved in and a celebration of community football - a truly glorious intersection of professional footballers from India, part-time players who have a day job and even promising youngsters not quite out of school. In this particular game, one of the goalscorers had appeared in the FIFA U-17 World Cup! The television camera and production signified the long way the tournament has come from playing at a small ground belonging to a second division club in the northern suburbs of Doha. Today, the tournament’s regular home is the Doha Stadium, one of Qatar’s iconic and oldest footballing venues, while the final is held at one of the QSL stadiums, due to the great support from the authorities. The billboards in the background are there for QSL matches which are held in the same week.
Are there any good stories connected with the people or teams you photographed?
The Al Arabi squad was training under the supervision of Icelandic dentist-turned-coach Heimir Hallgrimsson. His arrival at Al Arabi midway through the 2018-19 season seemed to mark a new beginning for what is arguably Qatar’s most popular club. When I photographed them, they were training for their Amir Cup game. It was a crucial phase for the team, as they looked to save their season. In the end, they lost out to fierce rivals Al Rayyan in a dramatic penalty shootout in the quarterfinals, which saw the season’s best attendance up to that point. Al Arabi did not have a good season – but the club, despite being known for a high turnover rate of coaches, kept their trust in Hallgrimsson and his staff. It seems to be paying off so far in the new season - they have had a decent start. Things have changed a lot.
What I liked most is how Hallgrimsson has put the team’s relationship with their fans as one of its foremost strengths – it’s like he has helped replicate what the Iceland team did with their traveling fans at Euro 2016 with the Viking clap becoming famous the world over. Here in Doha, Hallgrimsson used a picture of the Al-Arabi fans as a motivation for his players during team meetings. This summer, he brought Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson to Al Arabi. When Gunnarsson got injured just six games in, he was immediately replaced by another Icelandic star - Birkir Bjarnason, who was brought in on a short-term deal.
Al-Arabi now have a fan club thousands of miles away in Reykjavik! Who would have imagined this Icelandic Impact would happen here in Qatar?
What role does football play in Qatari society?
Football is the biggest sport in Qatari society, and it may even be the only sport for many people. The government support for football has been immense ever since Qatar became an independent nation in 1971, and it reflects the game’s popularity among the citizens. Although it can be said that popular participation at the top level has waned with the lifestyle changes in the new millennium, football is still a major aspect of most kids’ lives. For most of them, playing football on the street with their ‘thobes’ folded up is a natural part of growing up, just like going to the mosque and studying the Qur’an.
Most top teams in Qatar represent neighbourhoods and suburbs of Doha, and as such also have links to tribes who have been based in those areas for decades. Therefore, many kids inherit their love for a club from their families. Failure to perform up to expectations often results in dwindling attendances but fans always keep up with their team's fortunes, whether they are happy with it or not. Football is a key topic of discussion at the traditional majlis gathering, be it at home or in the desert where they set up televisions to follow the game.
What changes are happening in Qatari football culture?
It’s getting more and more representative of Qatar’s demographic makeup. If you look at the people currently involved in Qatari football, as players, staff or officials, you will notice how it reflects Qatar’s diverse population. The player pool in particular is very small if you only focus on native Qataris, which is why the authorities have looked outside that as well. Once upon a time, the country faced a lot of criticism for recruiting footballers from Africa and South America but now it’s a different story altogether.
Expatriate kids born and raised in Qatar are increasingly prominent in the national team, and their attachment to the country and commitment to the cause is quite unlike anyone brought in specifically to play football.
Off the pitch, the social media explosion of the past decade is constantly transforming fan culture. Banter and fan debates have taken on a new dimension completely; what we see elsewhere in the world is being reflected here as well, with innovative changes to the way football is covered. Twitter’s hashtag feature brought in a big change in the way one could collate and dissect the views of football fans. The Stories feature on Snapchat and Instagram has also had an effect on the fan experience.
Another thing I’ve noticed recently is a growing interest in jerseys, which is something quite new as Qatari fans are well-known for coming to matches in their traditional attire of ‘thobe’, ‘ghitrah’ and ‘agal’. A CNN journalist recently attended a game here and spoke about the visible lack of team jerseys among fans. But that’s changing; Qatar’s Asian Cup win brought about a huge demand for the national team kit, which is still not available for the public. So, then you end up seeing opportunistic entrepreneurs produce counterfeit versions, which may be very normal in other countries but something new in Qatar, where the jerseys of the national team and local clubs never really had much demand.
What is the most surprising or interesting part of Qatari football culture?
It’s a small world; I always feel like everyone knows each other! Clubs are generally very open to fans and visitors, which is a fact that many expats living here are unaware of, and of course, the same is true for the rest of the world. Most training sessions are open and meeting your favourite players is no big deal at all. It is quite usual to see Xavi sometimes crossing the street if you're driving by the stadium; he's not surrounded by paparazzi. You may come across your team's star defender at a video game store or you may end up sitting next to Qatar national team players when they come to watch their teammates play for other clubs. All of this, and much more, has happened to me and it just shows how small and tight knit the footballing community is.
Why is football so important for your community?
The immediate community that I identify with is that of the Indian expatriates in Qatar. Being away from home, football is one of the joys that enriches people’s lives. I have seen how the game has given them opportunities – several of my countrymen got jobs here after coming to play in amateur community tournaments. One such player I know of, recently got a chance to be part of a state team back in India after scouts watched his performances here in Qatar. There are so many examples of how the game has given these players so much enjoyment and financial fulfilment which helps their families. For the fans, many of who rarely get to go home on vacations, they now get the chance to watch their favourite players play in front of their eyes.
What does football mean to you?
It’s one of the greatest gifts in my life and I’m not overstating that. Best friends, invaluable experiences and sometimes, just sheer therapy – this game has given me so much and I’m forever indebted to it. As I mentioned, football has opened so many different windows of opportunities and I have so much more left to discover. I view football as a vehicle for social change and that’s an aspect I want to focus on in the coming years.
What will be the biggest impact of the World Cup in 2022?
We will have to measure the impact a few years down the line – it will be in terms of how much Qatar has been able to address some of the biggest criticisms they have faced. It is in workers’ welfare that Qatar can make the biggest impact, but a massive challenge still remains. Expanding rights protection to all migrant workers and ensuring proper enforcement will be something to focus on, and if done right, that could be the shining legacy of this tournament.
Then there’s the issue of infrastructure. The authorities will undoubtedly work on ensuring there are no white elephants and I am especially interested in Qatar’s promise of downsizing the capacities of their stadia and sending additional seats to developing countries. That’s something innovative and could forever be remembered as part of the 2022 World Cup’s legacy. Also, all of the above could bring about a change in perspective for those outside Qatar who may now consider a rethink about how they view the country, and the region in general.
What is the future for football in Qatar?
It looks bright now. I hope it remains like that – there is a lot more interest in sports and especially football. The authorities will also be pushing for that, with all the infrastructure that will hopefully be available for public use. On the pitch, if the 2022 generation makes a lasting impression at the World Cup, then that sets the tone for their successors. In recent years, a few amateur teams, from the official and non-official leagues, have shown interest in turning pro and the authorities have been encouraging a gradual movement in that direction.
With this increased interest and growing participation in football across all levels, I am hopeful of seeing results. The challenge is to build a vibrant ecosystem that sustains itself, so much so that the government funding should no longer be necessary. Qatar has come a long way in the world of football, and I think the future is something to look forward to.
