Nike Unveils The Last Installment of Its Dream Crazier Campaign With UAE Football Coach Houriya Al Tahri
“I’m not just a coach or an athlete, I’m a human – so helping people grow, or giving someone an opportunity is really important to me.”
Ladies and gents, let us introduce you to Houriya Al Tahri – not that she needs it. This 33-year-old Emirati superstar not only claims the title of the UAE’s Asian Football Confederation’s first licensed female football coach, but also holds a seat at the table for the UAE Women’s Football Committee as Technical Director. Oh, and she’s the last (but not least) face of Nike’s Dream Crazier installment – a video campaign that celebrates fearless sports people around the globe.
Following in the footsteps of Emirati Figure Skater Zahra Lari and marathoner-slash-mountaineer Manal Rostom, Houriya’s video reveals the story of how her dream began the first time she kicked a football around the park with her brother as a child. Since then, she’s been committed to changing the narrative of female footballers in the region, championing the unexpected in announcing her next big dream – to become the first Arab woman to own a football club.
“I’m not just a coach or an athlete, I’m a human – so helping people grow, or giving someone an opportunity is really important to me,” says Houriya. “I feel happy and content when I go home at the end of the day, knowing that I was able to do that. Even when we lose a game, I always just think to myself: these young girls have an opportunity, that was not always available – and that is what is most important.”
Can anyone say girl power?