[humblegunner]

he later even met his hero in a friendly played in Qatar.

Met him in a what?

[Blue Jays]

"...met him in a what?..."

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In soccer, a very low-stakes match is frequently called a “friendly” because the game outcome has no bearing on standings.

[neverevergiveup]

“Met him in a what?”

A ‘friendly’ is a soccer game played outside of any specific league or competition. It's kind of an ‘exhibition match’. Barcelona played one in Qatar, and Messi arranged to have this child attend. He walked out onto the field with him, hand in hand.

[OldGoatCPO]

Friendlies are time up games, similar to pre-season in American football. Allows players to work together in real games. Coaches use them to evaluate young talent or to determine what the best starting 11 will be.