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Diego Gutierrez, DBA, assistant professor of management and marketing, is no stranger to the excitement of soccer on the big stage. The °Ä¿Í×ãÇò graduate was a member of the Hawks soccer team during his time here, then had a long career in Major League Soccer with both the Chicago Fire and the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting KC) and was part of the U.S. Men's National Team before becoming a soccer broadcaster with Fox Sports 1. Recently, the beautiful game took him to Doha, Qatar, as part of a delegation to observe the deployment, management and marketing initiatives around the World Cup in preparation for the 2026 tournament hosted by cities in North America (including Kansas City).

How long ago did you find out you would be traveling to Qatar for the World Cup?

This trip was in the works a few weeks before the tournament started. This was the result of a collaboration between the KC Bid committee, our partner Augeo Marketing, and the gracious hospitality of the U.S. Soccer Federation, who included us in their delegation.

What sorts of things were you doing over there as part of the festivities? What were some of the most memorable experiences or moments?

This was primarily an observational trip ahead of Kansas City hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. I was included in the delegation as a former player and part of the U.S. Soccer family.

In 2026, the World Cup will be in North America, and Kansas City will be one of the host cities. Did this experience give you a taste of what to expect then? What are you most looking forward to with that experience? What should Kansas Citians and Americans expect?

The whole purpose of the trip was to bring intelligence back. While we know that Qatar is a completely different fan experience than we will have here in Kansas City, it's always good to get a thorough understanding regarding the dynamics of activations and general operations.

What was it like to be part of the U.S. National Team?

The biggest honor you can have as a player is to represent your country at the highest level. I had represented Colombia at the youth level but representing the United States at the Senior level was one of the most special parts of my life. It means you belong at a level very few professional players ever reach.

Tell me about your own experience with the World Cup? What’s the first one you remember experiencing or memories you have of watching it as a fan?

I remember watching the Argentina World Cup all the way back in 1978. I was a child and color TVs were beginning to be popular. But I also grew up in Colombia, a soccer-crazy country that made, and still does, make the World Cup a festivity every four years. As a child I always dreamed of being part of it.

What are you watching for in the World Cup this year? Who do you think are the favorites, what underdogs do you think might make some noise?

I expect most of the usual teams will be in the final stages: England, France, Brazil, Argentina... their talent pools are just too deep and most of their players are in the top teams in the world.