Fifa World Cup: Meet the Kiwi family volunteering at the World Cup in Qatar

Kiwi ballboy Taha Shameem looks on as Denzel Dumfries celebrates scoring against the USA at the Qatar World Cup. Photo / Fifa

An Auckland family living in Doha have volunteered to get closer to the action during the Fifa World Cup.

Zubina Shameem and her two sons are lapping up the opportunities the World Cup has brought to their new home in Doha.

“For a football fan, Qatar has definitely been the place for opportunities, and my family have been exposed to so many things that we never would have been able to do in New Zealand,” said Zubina, who has been working as a volunteer at the state-of-the-art Education City Stadium.

Her son Taha, 17, has been volunteering as a ballboy at World Cup matches. In June, he was cheering for the All Whites during their ill-fated, one-off qualifier against Costa Rica and met the team after the match.

“I aspire to be a New Zealand football player one day and I was gutted to see them fail to qualify, so we definitely did not support Costa Rica [during the World Cup finals],” said Taha.

“I love football and I loved being on the pitch up close to these world-class players, and watching great football.”

Taha’s brother Umar, 14, has also volunteered as a ball boy at the Khalifa International Stadium, getting up close to the likes of England’s Harry Kane and the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk.

Umar says he was very nervous before his first match as a ball boy.

“But once you do the job then it’s a blast. I could improve my game just by watching these games, and I dream to one day play for New Zealand.”

Kiwi football fan Taha Shameem meets All Whites striker Chris Wood after the defeat to Costa Rica; Zubina Shameem gets a moment with the big prize. Photos / Supplied

Zubina said because of her sons’ involvement with football, she has also been sucked into their obsession.

“As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them.”

The family moved to Qatar in 2010, as husband Imtiaz progressed in his IT career.

“We were just going to move here for a couple of years,” said Zubina. “But it has been 12 years now.”

The year they arrived, Qatar was awarded hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup, and she has seen an incredible transformation in those years.

“It is quite amazing how they have delivered what they promised,” she said. “Qatar said they would ‘Deliver Amazing’ and I think they have done that.

“We have seen two-lane streets turn into six-lane highways right in front of us. Sometimes we go for a drive and suddenly see a new road or a new building. We have been here 12 years, but it will take me another 12 years to see everything they have built for the World Cup.”

Zubina decided to sign up as a volunteer for the Fifa World Cup as a way to give back to the country that has welcomed her in.

“This is my third role as a volunteer; I also worked at the Club World Cup, the Arab Cup and now the Fifa World Cup.”

The 47-year-old former Aucklander works in Spectator Services at Education City Stadium which this week hosted the sensational play-off match between Spain and Morocco.

“We get to see the matches for free, which is great,” says Zubina, who has been up close to Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and other giants of the game.

“We get a different position each game, which is decided by a number you pick each match. And if you are outside in the first half, you swap to work inside the stadium, so everybody gets to experience the games. You just have to be a bit lucky to see the best parts of a game.”

In her role, Zubina acts as an information guide for the fans to get them to their seats as fast as possible.

“I provide them with information: where to get baby strollers, or where to find the lifts, how to get in and to get out or how to get to the Metro.”

For someone who admits to knowing nothing about football, the New Zealander got more involved than she had bargained for, and even put on football boots for the first time in her life.

“I was asked to play for the volunteers women’s club. I don’t know what my position is, but I am always off-side and scoring goals. I don’t really know the rules, just that you have to kick the ball.”

Her volunteer’s coach from Zimbabwe, listening to the conversation, confirms the Fijian-born Kiwi plays as striker, including a friendly match against the professional women from Paris Saint-Germain — it turned out to be a somewhat uneven contest, the volunteers losing 23-0.

She suggests she should have taken tips from her sons who play for Evolution Sports and one day hope to represent New Zealand.

“We may have been away from home a while, but they are definitely Kiwis,” says Zubina, who shipped new All Whites kits for the entire family for the Costa Rican clash.

Zubina has caught the football bug and the family has already registered as volunteers for next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.

“It is perfect timing as it is in our summer holidays, so it will be incredible to go back home to Auckland and be part of such a big event. I can really encourage all New Zealanders who are interested in football to get involved.”