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I felt like God gave me one chance , I wanted to do something different .
MUTAZ BARSHAM Olympic high jumper
“ I ’ m really inspired by my brother ’ s dedication … When he got injured and the doctors told him that he might have to stop competing after the surgery , he came back and won the gold medal at home in front of the fans ,” says Meshaal , referring to Mutaz ’ s golden triumphs at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha .
Meshaal is a goalkeeper for Qatar ’ s most successful football club , Al Sadd , and a career-defining national achievement of his own came in February 2024 as he helped his country win back-to-back titles at Asia ’ s biggest football tournament , the AFC Asian Cup .
As the brothers joke between themselves , it is made very clear that just as Meshaal looks to his older brother for inspiration , Mutaz speaks ardently about his younger brother ’ s day-to-day dedication and consistency , on how he is never swayed into complacency despite his success .
However , Mutaz and Meshaal are not the only bearers of sporting prowess and inspiration in the family .
As the two brothers sit side by side , they both agree they have been inspired and owe a measure of success to their father , Essa Barsham . Essa was a track and field athlete himself and , according to Mutaz , a man who has “ sport running in his veins ”.
“ Sports can be passed down through generations . When a child sees their parent is an athlete , they can grow to have the same passion ,” Essa says . “ When Mutaz was just a boy , I used to take him with me to Khalifa International Stadium and he watched me train .”
When Meshaal began to show an inclination for football , Essa was his biggest supporter . “ I try to never miss Meshaal ’ s games , except if I ’ m working . Even if I have training , I ’ ll prioritise him ”.
This philosophy from Essa ran through Mutaz and Meshaal ’ s childhood , spent trackside as their father trained , and playing games in their neighbourhood where they would hear friends shouting – “ Hey , your father ’ s on TV !”