A 15-year-old Pakistani teenager, Ahmed Raza’s dream came true as he recently got to be a part of the coin-toss for the historic match between Brazil and Costa Rica at the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia. This marked the first time a Pakistani was present on the pitch of a FIFA World Cup Match in an official capacity.

A passionate fan of Neymar Jr. and the Brazilian football team, Ahmed had the opportunity to meet his idol and favourite football team in action. The teenager hails from a family in Sialkot whose older members have been crafting hand-stitched footballs for professional leagues across three generations. Kaleem-ullah, the captain of Pakistan’s national football team (men) also joined him on his journey to Moscow for FIFA World Cup 2018.