1. Move to a new country

2. Learn a new language

3. Rebuild your life

That’s not my list — it was my dad’s, a few months after his 40th birthday. I don’t know if he used lists the way I do, but looking back, he must have had a plan.

Both my parents were born in Afghanistan, and during an unstable time they both relocated to Iran, where they eventually met. For my dad, starting over wasn’t new. And when you have the chance to go from being an immigrant in Iran to being an immigrant in Canada… you take it.

Through all the changes, fútbol (soccer, football) was a constant. My dad is a huge fan. He retells the story of celebrating Manchester United’s treble-clinching win against Bayern Munich at 1:00AM and waking up my mom (and half the neighborhood in Fereydunkenar). He introduced me to fútbol when we moved to Canada, and I fell in love with the game watching Sir Alex Ferguson’s United team of the early 2000s. The next decade saw my parents sacrifice many of their evenings and weekends to drive my sister and me to soccer fields all across Ontario. First as players, and then as referees and coaches. We tried to be as involved in the game as possible.

Still, growing up, I felt a bit isolated in my passion. Only a few of my school friends followed the game, and I’d ask my parents, half-jokingly, “Of all the countries in the world, why move to one where fútbol isn’t the biggest sport?”

But when I began coaching at sixteen, I realized that this could be a blessing in disguise. It was easy for a person with no professional playing experience — like me —  to get the chance to work with young footballers. I started at the grassroots level, gradually moving into more competitive environments. I was finding the people that loved the sport as much as I did. What I discovered was that football isn’t just a game — it’s an education. It educates people about themselves, their potential, and their purpose. Most players won’t turn pro, but this education can carry them through life.

Canada’s football culture is still finding its voice, and in that, there’s opportunity. We’ve seen rapid progress — from a growing development system to the launch of a professional league in 2019, to the excitement of co-hosting the 2026 World Cup. The future feels wide open.

So maybe now is a good time to share my list:

1. Discover the best football environments in the world

2. Share my learning experiences with as many players, coaches, and analysts as I can

3. Help Canada achieve something great in the football world

It’s not an easy list. But I’ve seen what it looks like to start from scratch — and I know what’s possible.