Pratik Handore
Apple TV+’s ‘Ted Lasso‘ follows the adventures of American college football coach Ted Lasso as he explores the world of soccer or football, as it is known in the UK. The feel-good series is known for showing a mirror to the real soccer world and brilliantly incorporates elements from real life into its narrative. The fourth episode of season 3 also takes time to pay tribute to Grant Wahl. Therefore, viewers must be curious to learn more about the person about Grant Wahl and how he died.
Who Is Grant Wahl?
Grant Wahl was an American sports journalist mostly known for his work in the soccer stream. Born on December 2, 1973, in Mission, Kansas, Wahl studied at Shawnee Mission East High School. Later, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Princeton University. During his time at the university. Wahl took an interest in journalism and worked as a reporter for the Daily Princetonian, covering the Princeton Tigers men’s soccer team. In 1996, following his graduation, Wahl joined Miami Herald as an intern before becoming a fact-checker at Sports Illustrated in November 1996. While at Sports Illustrated, Wahl covered college basketball and soccer and was promoted to senior writer in 2000. He covered the 1998 FIFA World Cup for SI and gained prominence for his cover story, titled ‘Where’s Daddy?’ documenting professional athletes and their illegitimate children.
I miss you, @GrantWahl. pic.twitter.com/Mq2vbnp7P6
— Céline Gounder, MD, ScM, FIDSA 🇺🇦 (@celinegounder) December 13, 2022
Over the years, Wahl established himself as one of the most prominent soccer journalists in the United States. He covered several seasons of Major League Soccer and the FIFA World Cup. Wahl also penned the 2009 book ‘The Beckham Experiment,’ detailing soccer star David Beckham’s transfer from Real Madrid to Los Angeles and its cultural impact. During his career, he also worked as a CBS Sports soccer analyst and a Fox Sports correspondent. Wahl has hosted the podcast ‘Fútbol with Grant Wahl’ since August 2021, featuring Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, co-creators of ‘Ted Lasso,’ in an episode. Inversely, the fourth episode of ‘Ted Lasso’ season 3 is dedicated to Wahl, who sadly passed away in 2022.
How Did Grant Wahl Die?
In November of 2o22, Wahl followed the United States men’s soccer team to the FIFA World Cup held in Qatar. During this time, Wahl was critical of the nation’s treatment of the LGBTQ+ community. Wahl was also detained outside a stadium for wearing a rainbow-patterned T-shirt. On December 9, 2022, Wahl was in attendance during the tournament’s Argentina vs. Netherlands quarterfinal match played at the Lusail Iconic Stadium. Wahl suddenly collapsed in his press box seat. After the paramedics performed CPR, Wahl was taken to a hospital for further treatment. However, he was pronounced dead on December 10, 2022. Wahl’s body was taken to the United States on December 12, 2022, where an autopsy report revealed that he died because of a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
https://twitter.com/brendanhunting/status/1601416329390477313
Wahl was 49 years old at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Céline Gounder, and brother, Eric Wahl. Wahl met Gounder (a journalist and medical doctor) while studying at Princeton, and the couple tied the knot in 2001. Wahl and his wife lived with their two dogs in New York City and had no children. Following Wahl’s tragic death, several eminent personalities, such as FIFA president Gianni Infantino and ‘Ted Lasso’ co-creator Brendan Hunt paid tribute to the journalist. Sports Illustrated also released a statement to commemorate Wahl’s contributions to the publication and soccer in the United States. Wahl was reportedly a fan of ‘Ted Lasso,’ and makers honored his memory by dedicating the fourth episode of season 3 to him.
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