DOHA, Qatar
Qatar Fan Leader and FIFA Fan Movement member Aaron Fernandes is confident that fans heading to Qatar for the World Cup will have a thrilling experience during the football showpiece event.
The lone Doha-based Goan to find his way into the elite list of Qatar Fan Leader group, which comprises people of different nationalities based in Qatar. Qatar-born Aaron, whose parents hail from Old Goa is also among the 1,000-odd FIFA Fan Movement Member.
As a worldwide group Aaron is aware of the herculean task which lies ahead of him and for the other members of the FIFA Fan Movement and as Qatar Fan leader during the one month-long event, the first one to be held in the Middle East, which takes pale for a month from November 18 to December 18 at eight venues and contested by 32 countries.
“To be honest it is a big role. We are not assigned any particular role as such but we act as a bridge between the organizing committee and the fans from across the world, so we share the content that comes from the organizing committee, we act as many representatives for these countries ( which we represent as fan leaders) during the during the events that take place over there like the final draw event the official unveiling event which took place in Doha on April 1,” said Aaron, who has done his Master’s in Business studies in UAE and his school studies in Qatar.
Aaron, who was selected as FIFA Fan Movement member by world governing body for football in June last year and two months later found his way as Qatar Fan Leader, is enjoying the role and the responsibilities and thrilled that he is getting opportunists to brush shoulders with the who’s who of world football.
“It was pretty overwhelming in fact to grow up watching these Legends and now meeting them in person was a feeling that made me filled with heart over here and to interact with them, especially the way they make you feel. They don’t make me, like fans, they make you feel like you’re their friend they are that warm at heart,” he said about his experiences of meeting the likes of David Beckham, Cafu and several football legends who have visiting Qatar at regular intervals for World cup events including the Official World Cup draw which took place on April 1 in Doha.
Recalling his experience meeting FIFA President Gianni Infantino Aaron said: “It was amazing and also special to meet the FIFA president himself Mr Infantino it’s very rare you get to meet someone of that stature and I was fortunate enough to meet him and get to speak a word with him in fact even told him ‘I thank you for making me a part of FIFA Fan movement’ and he just told me to keep up the good work, it was very special.”
On his part Aaron, as part of the two fan groups, is ready to roll the red carpet for the world wide football fans heading to Qatar.
“The World Cup in Qatar, it’s going to be like any other World Cup in fact I feel is going to be even more special. My advice to all the fans coming from abroad, come visit the place and experience it for yourself and you will have a tremendous time over here,” said Aaron, who follows football, plays cricket during the weekends and is a passionate WWE professional wrestling fan.
The World Cup happening in Qatar is like a ‘dream’ for Aaron.
“The world cup happening in Qatar is a dream especially for someone who is born here because we used to just keep watching it (earlier World Cup’s on TV like many others across the globe and once upon a time no one would have even thought that it would come to Qatar, or to a Gulf nation someone would quickly think of United Arab Emirates but to see Qatar evolve over the years and to see them winning the bid and to see the World Cup happening over here it’s truly truly remarkable and to see this country grow from the time to time from my childhood days, it’s brilliant, it’s brilliant to see the world coming here and I can’t wait to see Qatar welcoming the world.
