From a girl with dreams to living a dream life, Hadiya Hakeem’s journey has changed tremendously since the last World Cup in Qatar. The hijabi freestyle footballer, who was invited to perform in Qatar, is now married and lives in the UAE.
As the Fifa World Cup 2026 gets underway, Hadiya said she has a busy month ahead. “I am performing several days at a fan zone in Dubai, and I also have some brand collaborations for this Fifa World Cup,” she told Khaleej Times.
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“As the competition gets underway, I am inundated with calls and enquiries. Initially I had hoped to go to attend the World Cup matches but my visa got rejected. Now, I feel like it was a blessing in disguise because it has helped me to be in the UAE in the middle of the action,” she added.
Finding freestyle football
Growing up in Qatar as a little girl with two brothers, Hadiya fell in love with football. However, when her family had to move back to India for her mother’s treatment, she found herself without a place to practice the sport.
“There were no women’s football teams in my locality,” she said. “That is when I heard of freestyle football which you could practice on your own. I picked it up out of my love for the sport.”
She started off with a few tricks and found a lot of support from those around her. “My first ever performance was at school,” she said. “Once, one of the videos from school went viral and everyone in my village was proud. They were some of my biggest cheerleaders.”
The call that changed everything
It was one of those viral videos that led to her being invited to the Qatar World Cup. “When I first got the message, I thought it was a scam,” she chuckled. “But then I quickly realised that it was the real deal. That trip was everything I had hoped for.
“It was the city I grew up in and the World Cup is every footballer’s dream. Once there, I got to participate in an influencer football match with my heroes like Tom Cahill and Cafu. It was an unforgettable experience.”
Despite all the adulation, Hadiya said there were several points in her life when she felt disheartened.
“Last time, I was not able to qualify for the freestyler World Cup,” she said. “I was devastated but giving up was never a choice. I loved football too much. This is my message for people as well. You don’t have to have everything mapped out when you start something you are passionate about. If you put in the effort, things will fall into place.”
A new life in the UAE
After the Qatar World Cup, Hadiya dreamt of moving to the UAE. She was able to realise that last year when she came to the country with her husband.
“I always wanted to come to the UAE because the opportunities this country gives to hijabis and football lovers is unmatched,” she said. “I feel incredibly blessed that I was able to come here and I am loving every moment of it. My elder brother is also here, working as a football coach.”
Earlier this year, she did a video with fellow freestyler Maymi Asgari at Al Seef in Dubai. The video got nearly 2 million views.
‘Sometimes I pinch myself’
Hadiya said she still cannot believe how far she has come. “Sometimes, I pinch myself to see if my life is real,” she said. “Before the World Cup in Qatar, I was just a little girl in the world with lots of dreams. Today, I have achieved so many things that I never even imagined.”
She said her goal is to begin teaching freestyle to the next generation. “I am actively trying to set up a coaching programme,” she said. “One of my biggest motivators is that I hope at least one little girl is inspired by my journey and takes up football. And coaching is the best way to reach the younger generation.”
She added that there are some tricks she wants to master over the next few years. “Some of the tricks require a lot of practice,” she said. “I practice for about four hours at least four times a week. I also want to attempt to qualify for the next freestyler tournament.”
Source: Khaleej Times