DOHA (Qatar): A member of Iraq’s national team since 2014, Justin Meram understands the Middle East’s passion for football.
The US-born midfielder – a familiar face to Major League Soccer fans following spells with Columbus Crew, Orlando City and Atlanta United – qualifies to play for Iraq through his parents.
Now playing his trade with Real Salt Lake, the 31-year-old is well positioned to speak about next FIFA World Cup™ hosts, having visited and played in the country on various occasions during his international career.
In an exclusive interview with qatar2022.qa, Meram gave insight into what fans can expect when they visit Qatar in 2022 and outlined his hopes of being part of the first World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world with the Lions of Mesopotamia.
As a proud Iraqi and a member of the Iraq national team, how excited are you to see the next FIFA World Cup take place in neighbouring Qatar in 2022?
Obviously, I’m very excited. I think it’s going to be fantastic for the Middle East and the World Cup. For many people from around the world to come to the Middle East to see the culture, the lifestyle and the beautiful stadiums, it’s going to be an exciting time.
How important do you think it is for the World Cup to head to new regions, such as the Middle East?
I think it’s very important. A lot of people are going to be blown away by the culture of the Middle East, along with the magnificent buildings and, of course, the passion for football. I think it’s going to turn the minds of people in a positive way.
When Qatar was awarded the World Cup, what was the reaction of football fans in Iraq?
Our country was excited. As players, when we heard the news, we were all excited and we all want to do everything we can to make it possible to play in this tournament, especially with it being so close to home and knowing there are many Iraqis in Qatar. All the countries in the region are very excited about the World Cup heading to Qatar.
