Football’s power to unite & how I’ve been inspired, #WeLiveFootball

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Hello, David from France here, a football fan in general, a strong believer of football’s power to unite in particular

This page you’re seeing now is part of the AllezLesFans section of my website, so, if you want to find out more about me and my football story, feel free to check it out

Here precisely I would like to show you football’s power to unite, and how football has inspired me, in a feelgood way

I’ll do so mainly through « rival hugs » pictures, the perfect illustration of the spirit I love in football in general, and FIFA World Cups in particular
Because, to me, World Cups are much more than just football: it’s like if the world was gathering in one place, celebrating the game all together, all united 🙂
If during the games fans indeed are for their respective team, and their team only, before and after the idea is to have fun all together, on the streets, in fan fests, everywhere
We take pictures together, we chat, we dance, we cheer, we create life-long memories, and even real friendships sometimes, keeping in touch, traveling around together or/and getting to meet again from a World Cup to another

Also, apart from loving football, I love travelling, and I must say that football has helped me connect with people along the way, in a beautiful way
When I travel to a new place, I often try to find a game to attend, and also a game to play for fun, both being excellent ways to understand the local way to live football, and to make friends… inspiring it is!
No other sport connects people of all races, genders, age groups and nationalities, like football does
So, I’ll share some visual content about that too outside FIFA World Cups per se

And the last but not the least, I’ve been able to connect with fans online:
– by posting on my social media about the football tournaments and games I attend (first on @ExploreFeelGood, which I’ve used both for my travels and football, and more recently on @AllezLesFans also, which is solely dedicated to football)
– by promoting women’s football too, on my social pages, and also with a dedicated Facebook group to keep the ball rolling
– by joining online groups of French and World Cup fans (on Facebook, Whatsapp, Discord…)
– by joining the FIFA Fan Movement, in 2018, the year of its creation, taking part to every single in-person event I’ve been invited to, and almost every single group/multiple video call we’ve been having
– by joining, on the occasion of the 2022 World Cup, the Qatar Fan Leader Network, taking part to every single group/multiple video call we’ve been having, and every single in-person event I’ve been invited to

#WeLiveFootball

For me FIFA World Cups clearly are an opportunity to get the world united, no matter our flag, no matter our jersey, we’re there for the love of the beautiful game, and also the love of humankind

Here are two of the many videos I’ve made during FIFA World Cups, great examples of football power’s to unite, which is what I really love during such event (as you can tell also from my captions)

Here are lots of pictures of me, a French fan, with fans of other national teams, rival hugs style, proving football’s power to unite
I actually have pictures I’ve taken of even more fans, but as here we were talking about football’s power to unite, I thought that this was the best to showcase
I’m offering you to see them in a slideshow, of 53 pictures, with 51 nations directly represented, plus 2 indirectly with fans of a local team
You can pause it by hovering your mouse over a picture, and if you actually click on one you’ll be able to see the name of the country those fans next to me would be cheering for

I’ve met some at the stadium and some on the streets, but also many at FIFA Fan Fests / FIFA Fan Experience, another amazing opportunity for fans to connect, and prove once again football’s power to unite, as this picture perfectly shows

No other sport connects people of all races, genders, age groups and nationalities like football does

Even apart from match days, FIFA World Cups help people connect when traveling, as I’ve for instance experienced when looking for a ride (hitchhiking) and for accommodation (couchsurfing)

And then you have volunteers who offer their time for the love of the beautiful game, and the love of people

And because connecting with FIFA fans only during World Cups wasn’t enough anymore for me, I joined the FIFA Fan Movement in 2018, the year it was created, and I have to say it’s been an amazing ride already (and I’m looking forward for what’s ahead)

Within not even 4 years, I’ve already had the chance to:
– Attend the FIFA Women’s World Cup draw (along with just 13 other Fan Movement members, and being the only male one)
– Interview prominent players and coaches (along with just 1 more FM member) 
– Take part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour (in my hometown, moreover)
– Go on stage during the first ever FIFA Women’s Football convention, to represent FIFA Fan Movement and football fans in general (along with just 1 more FM member, for the 1st time ever FIFA would have fans go on stage on such an event)
– Attend several FIFA Women’s World Cup games (including the opening one)
– Have video clips I shot (of myself and of other fans) used in videos posted by FIFA
– Be part of The Best FIFA Football Awards virtual fan wall (along with 100+ more FM members)
– Have my voice heard by FIFA to help enhance the football experience on and off the pitch leading up to major tournaments and events, as part of the Fan Experience Panel (along with just 24 more FM members, and being the only one from France)
– Attend dozens of video conferences with fellow Fan Movement members, with presentations and talks helping us knowing how each other lives football, and getting inspired
– Connect with fellow football fans, supporting each other, online and sometimes even face to face
…
What a beautiful way to connect with fellow fans, all united

Promoting women’s football, connecting with fans hence proving football’s power to unite,  and helping people along the way hence demonstrating how I have been inspired by football

Having been fortunate to be offered lots of tickets during previous World Cups, and with the opportunity offered by FIFA to get really cheap tickets for the Women’s World Cup, I decided to buy more than I would need, and offer extra ones to friends and family, and also online to random people, some being awarded just by luck, some because the contestant would have a moving story and deserve to go

Representing fans at FIFA Women’s Football Convention, helping women’s football, and women in general, to dare to shone (#DareToShine was the motto of that World Cup)

Encouraging grassroots football, the future of football, the future of humankind

Actually, I strongly believe that even in our daily life football is a powerful way to connect and unite people

I even know it as a fact, having experienced it around the world
Sometimes we would not talk the same verbal language, but we could still get together and have fun, because we did have a language in common after all: football!

Like here in Bangladesh
A story in 3 parts
3 parts like 3 words : We Live Football

In conclusion, as for me a FIFA World Cup is the number one event in the world, that I mark long before on my calendar, I definitely will attend Qatar 2022
Once again, it will be a great opportunity to meet fellow fans from around the world, but this time with the big advantage to have it all happen in a tiny location
Hence more than ever we will be able to say, we will feel, that « It’s a small world after all », all united

So, indeed, I will be in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup 

Will YOU?

If so, looking forward to meet up!

Anyone is welcome to contact me on social media, on any social media, taking into account that Instagram is the one I use the most & by far, and is hence to be favored for a quicker answer

As for media & business inquiries, you can also reach me by email if you prefer

Talk to YOU / See YOU soon,

David 🙂

PS: As a reminder, this is just part of my football story, you can find out more at explorefeelgood.com/allezlesfans/en

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