Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
SCHOOLBOY Ahmad Nasr Nasser will be walking on to the hallowed turf of one of the stadiums hosting the FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil thanks to winning an amazing prize through a promotion staged by McDonald’s.
The football-mad 11-year-old will be a match escort as the teams run out in the Group H fixture between highly-fancied Belgium and Russia, as well as playing in games against other contest-winning youngsters from around the globe and enjoying a tour of the South American country.
Ahmad, who lives in Budaiya and is a Grade 5 student at Shaikh Mohammed Al Khalifa Intermediate School for Boys, said: “I love football and I am so excited to be going to see the finals in Brazil! I would love to play football for Bahrain when I am older.
“Getting a chance to walk onto the pitch with the world’s best teams and players is just amazing – I still can’t quite believe it is really happening. I am very lucky. This will make me work even harder to achieve my dream of becoming an international football player like my hero, Cristiano Ronaldo. Thank you, McDonald’s!”
The schoolboy’s name was plucked from a draw after he was shortlisted to represent his club in a training and team-building event as part of the restaurant’s sponsorship of a children’s football league in the kingdom through its local franchise holder, Fakhro Restaurants.
He plays in midfield for his village side in the McDonald’s Bara’em Under-11 Football League. In collaboration with officials from the Bahrain Football Association, a draw was conducted to select one player from each of the 14 clubs competing in the league, at random, to take part in the McDonald’s Bahrain Player Escort Programme (PEP).
On a Saturday afternoon in March, the PEP finalists and coaches engaged in a fun activity day on the grounds of Muharraq Club and in the restaurant’s newest branch located just around the corner in Arad.
The activities included skill-based training, a football match between the children and a coach and a kid’s team featuring Ahmad Jaser, the general manager of McDonald’s Bahrain.
Team-building games followed with an emphasis on effective communication, co-operation, planning and the children put their public speaking skills to the test by talking about themselves, their clubs, their dreams and all things football.
Abdulla Adel Fakhro, director of Fakhro Restaurants, said: “The excitement on the PEP participants’ faces was priceless.
“The opportunity we’re presenting them with is definitely one-of-a-kind in the region, and it reflects on our values as a brand that believes in maintaining an active lifestyle, and to provide unique opportunities to our community as a locally-owned company.
“This year, we are fans of the fans, and this is one way we can show our appreciation to our younger customers. We’re proud to have a young, talented Bahraini football player represent our country in Brazil.”
The draw to take one of the children to Brazil was staged at Bahrain City Centre and Ahmad struck lucky again.
He told GulfWeekly: “I was nervous about playing with the other kids, even though I play with and against them in the league, but this time it was for a bigger prize.
“We worked on our football skills and learned valuable team-building skills with the coaches and the team from McDonald’s who prepared us to play against all the kids in Brazil. All of the participants are talented and deserved to win but in the end it was a draw and I was the lucky winner.”
The main event will be escorting a player, match official or World Cup mascot onto the pitch before the match at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on June 22.
It is part of a prize package featuring a four-day trip to Brazil with his dad, a ministry worker, participating in football matches against the other 54 prize-winning children from around the world and joining in team-building activities.
They have a cultural tour scheduled to help them learn more about Brazil and they will visit the pitch beforehand to practice the walk and handing over of tournament appearance medals to the players. Prior to arriving in Brazil, all 21 winning children from the Gulf region will meet in Dubai with their parents to get acquainted and travel together from there.
Ahmad has two brothers, Nader, 19, and Mohammed, 16, and three sisters, Asmaa, 14, Khawla, nine, and one-year-old, Sumaya. He’s a dedicated Real Madrid fan and will be cheering on World Cup holders Spain as they defend the trophy.
McDonald’s is the official restaurant of the FIFA World Cup 2014. It will be supplying the travel, accommodation, match tickets and meals for all recipients and parents during their trip.
