Wahl passionatelly covered soccer for more than two decades. He passed away on December 10 while covering the World Cup in Qatar.
Grant Wahl was the definition of excellence & the pinnacle of the American soccer journalism world for decades. He carried himself with the utmost respect for others and was the biggest advocate for young journalists, aspiring to make it.
I met Grant when I was 16 years old, covering my first MLS Draft. I was a fresh faced high schooler with a passion for soccer looking to make my way into the industry. There was no reason for him to go out of his way to introduce himself and offer his assistance to a young kid, who otherwise went unnoticed. Following that day, I would’ve expected Grant to forget this kid who he had a 30 second interaction with, but that wasn’t the case. Every SuperDraft for the next 5 years, Grant was the first person to welcome me back with open arms and share his expertise whenever we crossed paths.
It’s rare to meet someone at the top of a certain field, who will give his time and genuine thoughts to those around him at a whim. Anyone that knew Grant, knows how kind and thoughtful he was to those around him. Grant’s tragic passing won’t be forgotten and I hope others will take the lessons they learned from Grant and apply it to their own lives.
Our sincere condolences are with Grant’s wife Celina and the entire Wahl family.
