Lights, Kasali, Action!
Isobel Irvine (Homeless World Cup volunteer writer) chatting to Kas at the Sacramento 2023 Homeless World Cup
Words by Isobel Irvine
Production of series four of hit Apple TV+ series, Ted Lasso, has just started in west London however, earlier this week, the Homeless World Cup Foundation was responsible for a short break in filming!
Former Fulham left-back, Ted Lasso Director of Football and avid Homeless World Cup supporter, Kasali Casal, left the set to update us on his football involvement - home and away - over the next few weeks.
“Anything to do with football on the show is my department,” he explains. “It’s very intense and can be quite tough. Obviously, the team on the show are actors so I coach them how to look like football players. Then all the external teams that they’re filmed playing against are all my players, on my sports agency books.”
His Insta handle, @secondchancekas, hints at the parallels between what’s happened in his life and those of many of the Homeless World Cup players he now passionately supports.
“Football was my life. I reluctantly had to stop through a career-ending injury and that’s very tough,” he states. “When you’re playing football, you’re in front of the camera but I was always really interested in what was happening behind the camera. I often thought that might be something I could put my mind to.
Kas presented the Sacramento 2023 tournament draw at Sac State University
“So when I did get the injury, though it was really daunting, I thought ‘football’s gone, what’s next?’ Then along came this second chance in life, to get involved in film and TV, and here I am now.”
That opportunity for a second chance was reinforced, on the away game front, when the Homeless World Cup first came onto his radar shortly before Sacramento 2023.
“I was unaware of HWC until six months before, when Lisa [Wrightsman] and Tiffany [Fraser] from Street Soccer USA got in touch, told me all about it and got me involved,” Kas admits. “I immediately thought to myself, how can I not know about such a fantastic organisation and cause?
“Then when I arrived in Sacramento, felt the vibe and saw what was happening, I thought wow, this should be way bigger. I don’t understand how more people aren’t aware of this.”
Meeting the players, coaches and volunteers immediately saw Kas extend his initial involvement of doing the tournament draw and presenting prizes into moving onto campus and becoming one of the event’s biggest cheerleaders, encouraging the players and pitching in all round. Hearing their stories is something that stays with.
“I spent a lot of time with Team USA and there was one player who told me about a terrible bust-up with her parents which saw her end up on the streets. Football gave her a safe haven. She’d go to the [Street Soccer USA] base in Sacramento, have a kick about, have some food - it was her only escape. That stuck with me.”
This year, keen to increase his involvement, Kas will be moving divisions to a different role. “I’ll be presenting a highlights show every evening after the games with Graeme [Easton],” he explains. “I’m in Oslo for the whole week so I’m more than happy to take on anything else that needs to be done, really.”
A week away from Lasso production? How did Rebecca, Roy and Ted take that?? “I had to talk them round at work,” he laughs, “but, at the end of the day, they know I’ve been a huge ambassador for the Homeless World Cup since Sacramento and I needed this week away.”
Having witnessed first-hand how the tournament can change lives, what message would he pass on to those players about to arrive in Oslo from across the globe?
“I’d say take the opportunity. It’s an incredible opportunity and so much can come from it,” he enthuses.
“A guy I work with here on ‘Ted’, in the electrical department, told me last week that someone from the team he supports - Wycombe Wanderers - was spotted playing at a Homeless World Cup a few years ago and he’s now been picked up by QPR.
“Changing your life into pro football is just one aspect, though,” he adds. “Having that experience, feeling that love and camaraderie from so many different countries and cultures is something very special. Embrace it and enjoy every moment.”
Kas with the Ukrainian team in Sacramento