“Star Wars” alum Daisy Ridley is set to narrate “We Were There,” a newly-announced doc series set to explore what are described as the “remarkable human stories” from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The series — which was announced by both FIFA and Qatar’s supreme committee, the government body that was set up to help deliver the World Cup — is being co-produced by Noah Media Group and HBS, and will be available worldwide as an 8-part series of 30-minute episodes centred around key protagonists from the tournament, both on and off the field.
As well as telling the story of the tournament, each episode is constructed as a mini documentary with a narrative which establishes the backstory of the lead characters and discovers their journey to Qatar, witnessing key matches through their eyes. Among the contributors are several members of the winning Argentina team, including coach Lionel Scaloni, goalkeeper and Golden Glove winner Emi Martinez, striker Julian Alvarez and the player who took the winning penalty in the final, Gonzalo Montiel. Other stars involving are French coach Didier Deschamps, Portugal and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, Uruguay striker Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bonou, Real Madrid and Brazil goalscorer Rodrygo, Morocco’s Sofyan Amrabat, Croatian penalty shootout hero Dominik Livakovic and coach Zlatko Dalic.
Meanwhile, “We Were There” also follows several fan stories, including the Saudi Arabia supporter who walked across the desert to see his team beat eventual winners Argentina, to the young player mascot who shared a personal moment with France star Kylian Mbappe.
The series is directed by Luke Mellows (“Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes,” “Dan Carter: A Perfect 10”) and produced by Noah Media Group’s Tarun Thind and executive producer Richard Makinson. Noah Media Group’s head of international sales, Catherine Quantschnigg, will be handling the global sales of the series.
“After our delivery of the event itself, we were excited to have the chance to tell the story again from a different perspective,” said Dan Miodownik, HBS CEO. “After the high intensity drama and passion of the tournament, the Qatari people’s story, and those of the visiting international fans, presents the personal touch. We thank FIFA and the Supreme Committee for the opportunity to share this final part of the story, in partnership with Noah Media Group.”
Added Noah Media Group’s Quantschnigg: “’We Were There’ brings together an incredible array of footballing superstars and passionate fans from around the world with the amazing archive from the biggest sporting event in the world. We are looking forward to making this series available to global buyers.”
