These days, it’s easy to forget that Football is more than a billion dollar industry. Everyday, everywhere, political campaigns, idolisation, logos and sponsorships dominate the arena – well, even this piece of work is sponsored by Arbejdernes Landsbank (National Workers Bank). So what is football today, if not just lucrative entertainment?

From my 30 years of experience on and off the field, I’ve learned that football essentially is… people. From different walks of life they show up in the same place, day after day, creating spaces for kids to grow and learn. Most of these people hardly get paid. Football is doing laundry. Mowing the lawn. Becoming local legends for sticking around for decades and making everyone feel welcomed, seen and included. Everyday. Spring, summer, fall and winter.

Football is family. It’s a home away from home. Most of this I had momentarily forgotten, until I was offered a chance to portray some of these zealots – reminding me what made the football community great in the first place.