Most readers may or may not be aware that I work in soccer marketing. Thus my career choice often requires me to travel and work on various football related projects in a variety of locations. From shooting a recap video to managing a group of influencers, this article highlights the top places outside the United States that I found to be the most interesting and enjoyable when traveling there for soccer.
Brazil
The main purpose of my trip to Brazil have been to work primarily with Red Bull and Mo (MOALIFC). My two trips within the country were to Sao Paulo where nearby lies RB Brasil and Santos, where Neymar Jr Fives holds its annual global finals. Most readers are probably well aware that the country is filled talented footballers as well as passionate fans. From recent legends such Ronaldinho and Kaka to the great Pele, Brazil is packed with homegrown talent. I had a blast from the moment I arrived in the country to the time I left. The people are friendly, the food is cheap, and the weather is warm for the most part year round (three seasons out of four).
Language: Portuguese
Currency: Real (1 US dollar is about 4 Real)
Foods to try: Acai Bowl, any Brazilian Steakhouse, Sushi
Interesting Fact: the city of Sao Paulo has the largest population of Japanese people outside of Asia.
The Netherlands
The land of football tacticians, where kids grow up playing 433 and tiki-taka, Holland has been a go-to country of mine for quite a while. Having lived in the country for more than a year and completing my Masters at Tilburg University, I can without a doubt confirm that the nation is football obsessed. Clubs within the country include recent Champions League contenders Ajax, and Brazilian Ronaldo’s first European team; PSV. The Netherlands is filled with things to do for a football lover.
Language: Dutch (One can get away with speaking English)
Currency: Euro (1 US dollar is about .90 Euro)
Foods to try: Bitterballen, Kapsalon, Pickled Herring if you’re brave
Interesting Fact: Ajax and Holland legend Johan Cruyff has donated more than 200 7-a-side sized football courts all around the country. They’re free to play at and can be found in almost every city within the country.
Turkey
A place that totally took me by surprise. I was flabbergasted when I arrived in Istanbul and experienced first-hand the level of support Galatasaray received from their more than passionate home fans. We were also introduced to one of the kindest professional footballers in Gokhan Inler when we visited. The locals are hospitable and always offered our group some sort of “special price” on anything that can be bargained for.
Language: Turkish
Currency: Lira (1 US dollar is about 11.5 Liras)
Foods to try: Turkish Tea, Lokum, Turkish Ice Cream
Interesting Fact: The Turk Telecom Arena where Galatasaray plays held the record for the loudest crowd roar in a
Russia
A surprise last minute trip. I was fortunate enough to be asked to go to the city of Ekaterinburg where I managed a group of influencers for FIFA sponsor Coca Cola and witnessed my first World Cup match. Although unaware in the beginning, The 2018 World Cup in Russia really helped me grasp the significance of such a major tournament and its impact on an ever expanding footballing nation.
World Cup 2018 in Ekaterinburg Arena 
First trip to Russia
Language: Russian
Currency: Ruble (1 US dollar is about 66 Ruble)
Foods to try: Pelmeni, Beef Goulash, Blini
Interesting Fact: The Central Stadium of Ekaterinburg used to hold 23,000 fans, however for the World Cup in 2018, FIFA required that all host stadiums be able to seat at least 35,000, therefore 12,000 seats were “temporarily” created just for the tournament.
Thailand
Probably the hidden gem of the group, soccer in Thailand was unbeknownst to me before I arrived. The area surrounding the city of Bangkok alone is home to more than 7 clubs. We worked with several clubs while there including Muangthong, Bangkok United, Port, Army, Police Tero, Air Force, BK Glass, and several more. The highlight of the trip was probably playing pickup soccer with a few of the Thai League 1 players once a week during our month there. The local futsal scene is also very active with the Thai National Futsal Team ranked 18th in the world.
Language: Thai (One can totally get away with English in the cities)
Currency: Baht (1 US dollar is about 30 Baht)
Foods to try: Pad Thai, Khao Phat, Green Curry
Interesting Fact: Red Bull, the energy drink, was founded in Thailand. It is based off of Krating Daeng, a popular drink in Thailand with taxi drivers.
France
Growing up I was a big Saint Etienne (ASSE) fan (Allez Les Verts). Therefore going to France for soccer related work was like a dream; traveling to the country on multiple occasions to work with players from Paris St-Germaine (PSG), Olympique Lyonnais (OL), and Marseille. The French have a rich footballing culture. One of the biggest things that stood out to me when in France was how successful and talented the women’s football league or Division 1 Féminine was. With the world’s best playing for clubs such as OL, Paris FC (Juvisy), Montpellier, and recently PSG. The country is filled with some of the top talents in the world of female football.
Language: French (One can probably get away with English at the expense of annoying some of the native Frenchies)
Currency: Euro (1 US dollar is about .90 Euro)
Foods to try: Confit De Canard, Croissant Au Jambon, Tacos Français
Interesting Fact: Lyon Women’s have won the UEFA Women’s Champions League a record 6 times, the most of any club.
About Me:
My name is Zeyu M Wang, I create one-on-one interviews with some of the world’s top footballers and athletes from various leagues and locations, including the Barclays Premier League, German Bundesliga, Dutch Eredivisie, Major League Soccer, and Thai Premier League. I have worked with players such as Achraf Hakimi, Gokhan Inler, Dominick Calvert-Lewin and many more.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to drop me a line:
Instagram: @zeyumwang
Twitter: @zeyumw
Facebook: @zeyumwang