A letter from the Red Wall to the migrant workers of…

A letter from the Red Wall to the migrant workers of Qatar: Thank you for making this World Cup great

To the Ghanaian in the high-vis vest who just wanted a high five.

To the Ugandan who enthused to us about his home country at two in the morning.

To the Egyptian family who gave us sweets, dates and cups of Karak (a sweet, aromatic tea) on the street.

To fabulous Mohammed, whose patience and kindness knew no limit in showing us around.

To the stadium stewards who had bothered to learn the words "shwmae", "sut wyt ti?" and "pob lwc!"

To the best Nepalese waiter in Qatar.

To the barman wearing a bucket hat.

To the taxi drivers who played Yma o Hyd.

Staff outside the Metro stations directing fans which way to go. (Steve Ward)

To the policeman who asked us to teach him Welsh and had better pronunciations than our neighbours back home.

To the cabin cleaners, kebab makers, the bus drivers, security staff, police officers.

To the hundreds of volunteers, sat for hours at a time directing people towards the Metro in debilitating heat, with smiles on their faces, with song and dance.

“Let’s go Metro, let’s go (if you know, you know).”

To the ones who called us Cymru. To the fans of Gareth Bale.

An impromptu kickabout between Wales fans and hotel staff (Elliott James)

To the thousands more working across Doha on every street, in every shop and restaurant and on every public service.

And the thousands we did not meet who built this World Cup from the ground, creating its stadiums, roads, buildings and railway lines.

To the people who are not Qatari, but are the people of Qatar. The people who run Qatar. Who actually run this World Cup. We thank you for welcoming us with love and kindness and generosity.

Thank you for being the soul of a soulless World Cup. The heart working beneath superficial, glistening, concrete and glass structures, trophies of wealth and power.

Thank you for showing us that football still belongs to the masses and not the elite.

We came to this strange, strange place with worry and few expectations. Fearful of a crippling regime. Equipped with stories of suppressed views, of draconian rules and unnerving methods.

We read how we would have to adapt, how awful it would be.

Welshman Graham Maloney's "fabulous" driver Mohammed. (Graham Maloney)

We read about about you, the two million migrants who make up 95% of the country's workforce. How 75% of the population is male. How you have left your own countries to find work elsewhere, to support families at home.

We know your lives are not easy. We know you have fled oppression and war and poverty. We know that you are exploited and downtrodden. Not that you’ve told us, or complained once about anything or looked for pity or solace from us.

For us, the people of Wales, the Red Wall, you will be the lasting memory of this World Cup. You gave us an experience we had waited decades for. You made it unforgettable. You showed us the power of humanity when we needed it.