Brooklyn Park Man Experiences ‘Trip of a Lifetime’ with Dad at World Cup Match

For Shadi Ebrahim, watching his native Egypt play in the FIFA World Cup with his father became a dream come true.

Ebrahim, who lives in Brooklyn Park, surprised his father, Mohamed, with World Cup tickets to see Egypt play Belgium in Seattle on Monday, June 15. It’s the first time either had seen their native country play a soccer match in person.

“Everyone was cheering, clapping, they had the drums out. It felt like we were back in Egypt, they made the atmosphere like home,” said Ebrahim.

The experience was much more than about soccer.

For Ebrahim, whose father is a longtime soccer fan and lifelong supporter of Egypt’s national team, attending the World Cup offered a chance to see a dream become reality. While Ebrahim acknowledged he’s more of a basketball and football fan, he knew immediately that attending the World Cup was something he wanted to share with his father.

“This trip was for him,” he said. “I did it for him because I wanted to do something that was special for him, something meaningful.”

Ebrahim said he purchased the tickets months in advance as a Father’s Day and birthday gift for his dad.

The night before the match while walking along Seattle’s waterfront, Ebrahim said he recalled hearing Arabic spoken by visitors and seeing jerseys representing countries from every corner of the world. Inside the stadium on game day, more than 66,000 fans packed the stands with Egyptian flags waving throughout the crowd.

For Ebrahim, the most memorable part wasn’t the final score, which ended in 1-1 draw, or even the match.

“Seeing my dad happy, that was everything,” he said. “Just cherishing the moment with him. That’s something I will never forget.”

Lizzy Nyoike reporting. Lizzy is an intern from the University of Minnesota.

Also see: Minnesota United To Host June 22 Youth Soccer Clinic in Brooklyn Park 

Brooklyn Park