KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — “It is like a dream come true,” said the 32-year old Hungarian woman who had travelled with FIFA World Cup Trophy tours to 32 countries by the time it made its stopover in Malaysia recently.
Annamaria Gazda, who works for the Coca-Cola Company as a Global Asset Manager in Atlanta, United States, could not imagine how she felt when she was first asked to join the tours.
“This is a once in a lifetime experience, only a few people have a chance to be here... to be a representative for the company (Coca-Cola) and the World Cup trophy. Travelling with the trophy around the world... I am glad I am the chosen one.
“I feel like I am a small ambassador. It is not only once in a lifetime opportunity but it was like dream come true for me to be involved in such an amazing project,” she told Bernama in an exclusive interview during her tour to Malaysia from Jan 3 to 5.
Gazda said in total there were 90 stopovers (countries) but her tour involved only 50 of them. The trophy arrived in Malaysia from Vietnam before making its way to Jakarta. Malaysia was the 56th stopover.
Gazda said the experience of travelling with the trophy around the world was an eye-opener for her as she has seen and learnt about others culture and lifestyles.
“Everyone that I have met in this country was extremely nice and very welcoming. Malaysian football fans are full of passion. Wherever the trophy stopped in this country, there were always big crowds. They are happy to see it although nobody is allowed to touch it.
“No matter where you go, football is very powerful. Wherever you come from, what language you speak but in football, it has its own language...everybody can understand it. It is something that can unite everybody no matter where you come from, it brings us together,” she said.
She said her first World Cup experience was very memorable as it gave her a chance to see how people got so excited and united because of the trophy.
Gazda said that earlier she only had opportunities with small-scale community football programmes but the experience gave her some knowledge on how to make sure the tour was successful.
“I am happy with my job because I see smiling faces all the time... it is just amazing to see people taking pictures with the trophy. It is really delightful.
“When people ask me whether I get tired, I say no because everybody gives so much energy, so much passion, it keeps me going on every day. Every day is a new day and every country is a new country,” she said.
Gazda a two-time Masters Swimming World Champion and was also Hungarian Swimming National Champion several times.
Her interests are sports, travelling, music, painting and outdoor activities. — Bernama
