"It was goose bumps seeing Canada walking out. I haven't seen that in my lifetime. It was surreal. This time around he will again be at home but also very much at the heart of the action in two cities that are dear to him."
"Football was ingrained in all of us in our family. A teenage Ahmed used to hop over the fence of MLS side Toronto FC before dawn to have a kickabout with friends on the training pitches there."
"Fasting during a crunch period of the English season has been a learning curve for Ahmed. There was applause when Norwich's FA Cup tie at Elland Road was halted for Ahmed and Leeds' Joel Piroe to break theirs."
Ali Ahmed experienced the last World Cup at home and is excited for the upcoming matches in Canada. He has a personal connection to the games, especially with Italy potentially playing in Toronto, where his family has roots. Ahmed's football journey includes sneaking onto training pitches as a teenager. Now at Norwich, he has become a key player, even managing to fast during Ramadan while contributing to the team's success. The support for Muslim players during fasting has been notable in England.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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