A Global Quest for the Beautiful Game
Joe Connor, a San Diego native and former coach, turned a personal health crisis into a worldwide soccer pilgrimage.
In 2022, while recuperating from a blood clot, he watched the FIFA World Cup from his living room, a moment that ignited a resolve to see the sport in person across every nation qualified for the 2026 tournament.
Over the next three years he logged more than 144 country visits, ranging from the bustling streets of São Paulo to the quiet pitches of Djibouti, attending professional league matches, amateur tournaments, women's games, youth leagues and community fixtures, even in territories that are not FIFA members.
His funding came from a blend of his coaching career, investment income and rental property earnings, allowing him to sustain a journey that combined passion with practicality.
The drive behind the odyssey was as much emotional as it was athletic; the early death of his father and the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic deepened his appreciation for travel and sport, prompting him to share his story on a personal website and YouTube channel with the aim of inspiring others to explore the world through soccer.