The Stories of the Afghanistan Women's National Team Development Team

Before I started football, I had a deep passion for the sport. I used to play football in the alleys with the boys of my neighborhood, dressed in boy’s clothes. Since the moment I was born, I saw myself in boy’s clothes and wished that if I ever achieved something, it would be through football, like Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.  

When I was 12 years old, a team named "Benen Stars" was formed at my school. I wanted to register, but because of my young age, they didn’t accept me. Every day, I would come and watch their practices until one day, the captain of the team approached me. We talked, and he allowed me to play with them for one day. When the coach saw how I played, he allowed me to join the team. Every day, I came to school and trained until the women’s futsal tournaments started. The coach gave me a permission slip for my family to sign. I went home and told my father, but he refused. There were only two reasons: either because we were financially struggling, or because I was a girl. 

That day is something I’ll never forget. I cried a lot, and the permission slip remained unsigned by my father. I couldn’t focus on my studies that day, nor did I speak; I just cried. The students passing by looked at me with astonishment. That day, with my young age, I made a decision for my life. I grew up that day. I decided to continue pursuing my football dreams, without my father’s approval. I went home and talked to my mother. At first, she didn’t agree, but later, she said she would support me, but I had to wear a headscarf and continue playing football in girl’s clothes. I accepted, signed the form myself, and a few days later, the competition started. It was winter, and I faced many hardships due to financial struggles.  

In those tournaments, because of my good performance, I was awarded a motivational medal. It was my first medal. I went home and showed it to my mother, but I couldn’t tell my father.  After some time, the federation announced that five of our players had been selected for the U-17 national team, and I was one of them. We all went to the federation, and the national team coach read the names. Players from other teams were also there. Everyone was selected except me, due to my age. I wasn’t even allowed to play. That day was really hard for me. I cried and left the field.  

A while later, the Women’s Day tournament started, and our team won first place. I was 13 years old. Again, the coach of the U-17 team told my coach to send the best players. This time, three of us were chosen, but again, I wasn’t selected. I was very angry, but I didn’t give up. I kept trying.  The Women's Premier League competition started, and for the first time, I saw the green field in person, something I had only watched on TV before. I can’t describe the feeling I had or put it into words. Just walking on the green field calmed my heart. I could see myself reaching the highest places. In this competition, our team finished fourth. It was a tough tournament for me. One day, I had no money, and we had a match. Even though I had no money, I went to the match. My house was far away—about a 30-minute walk. I always took two taxis. 

The first taxi driver was kind and didn’t charge me, but the second one asked for money when I reached my destination. Since I had no money, I ran away. I’ll never forget that scene. The driver shouted at me to stop, but I didn’t.  As time passed, I turned 14. The selection process for the U-15 national team began, and our team won first place in this competition. I was named the best player and received my first best player’s cap. When I got home, my aunt, grandmother, and mother were all there. I showed my father the cap and told him that I had continued playing football all this time without his knowledge, and now I had become the best player. That day, I proved to my father that a girl, no matter her age, can overcome obstacles. I proved to him that I wasn’t the same little girl I used to be. I grew up the day I cried alone and faced my problems without caring about my young age.  

Finally, after much persuasion, my father agreed, and the next day I went for a trial with the U-15 national team. It was the first day, and for the first time, with the money my father had given me, I went for training without any worries. When I arrived at the federation, many players were there—around 64 players, but only 20 would be selected. We went three times a week for the trial, and eventually, I was selected as one of the 20 players.  

The next day, the main training for the U-15 national team started, and I was so happy. But that day, when I was ready to leave for practice, I faced the same old problem: I didn’t have any money. My eyes fell on my cousin’s blue bicycle, so I took it and headed towards the federation. I had to ride quickly because the journey was long. As I passed through some areas, I could hear people making comments. They said, “Look, a girl is riding a bicycle!” It wasn’t just the men and boys who said this, but also the girls and women. Not far ahead, a boy stood with a thick stick and struck my shoulder hard as I passed by. I paused for a moment, looked back, and saw him laughing. I continued riding, but my shoulder hurt. After the practice, my shoulder hurt so much that when I got home, I looked at it in the mirror. It was bruised and very painful. I applied some Vaseline and salt to it, hoping it would get better.  

The next day, even though my shoulder wasn’t fully healed, I still went to practice. As time passed, the Women's Premier League began again, and my coach sent our team captain to the Independence team. Unfortunately, due to my age, I wasn’t allowed to play in this competition. I was upset about this, but I kept showing up at every match with my sports equipment, hoping that maybe I’d get the chance to play.  The day finally came when we faced the Independence team. They had become stronger, and the coach went to talk to the federation president. I wore my sports clothes and waited, hopeful. The first half ended with our team having conceded three goals. The coach hurried in, holding a paper that said if a player got injured, the responsibility would be on the player themselves. I signed the paper and entered the field. My presence helped my teammates a lot, and we stopped conceding any more goals. The next match was against Kabul Club, where I scored all three goals, and we won 3-0.  

In the next match against the Justice team, they didn’t show up, and we were declared the winners. Our team finished fourth in this tournament, and after the final game, one of the national team coaches came to me and told me to come for the U-17 national team trial.  Finally, I made it to the U-17 national team. The next day, when I arrived at the federation, many players had come for the trial, around 50 or 60. Only 20 would be chosen. I was worried that I might not be selected again, but I pushed through. We practiced under the burning sun, and two players fainted due to exhaustion. But I didn’t let up. The day of selection came, and I didn’t expect to be chosen, but when the coach called my name, I was overjoyed. It was the best day of my life. I thought to myself, "Finally, I’ll be able to achieve all my dreams and goals." But one thought kept bothering me: Would my father allow me to go abroad for training?  

I went home and told my mother, and she was happy. When my father came home that night, I told him the news. He didn’t say anything at first, but the next morning, he told me I could participate in the foreign tournament. I never expected that.  A few days later, we got our passports and traveled to Tajikistan. We stayed in a hotel, and our first match was against Iran. The coach didn’t let me play in this match, and we lost. One of our players got injured and had to be replaced. I thought the coach would let me play, but he didn’t trust me. The next day, we played against Tajikistan, and they were leading 3-1. The coach was about to make a substitution, but our team captain, Mona Amini, spoke up and insisted that I be sent onto the field. I entered at the 70th minute and scored a goal at the 72nd minute, proving the coach wrong. However, we lost the match 5-2.  

We returned from Tajikistan, but then the Taliban came, and everything in my life seemed to crumble. All the hardships I had endured for my goals felt meaningless. The Taliban’s arrival destroyed everything.  

Later, I found out that the plan was to send players out of the country. Several well-known players were able to leave Afghanistan, but I missed the opportunity because I didn’t have a phone. The U-15 national team players were left behind. A visa was arranged for us to go to Canada, but eventually, I found out that some of the players had already left with their families. This caused me a lot of emotional pain, and I suffered from depression for a year.  

During this time, I started working with a network and made a new friend who helped me stay positive. Eventually, someone named Manqoshuddin Nasimi offered to help me and several other players leave Afghanistan. My father borrowed money, and we traveled to Iran. We stayed there for a month, but it didn’t work out. Serbia denied us a visa, and we had to return to Afghanistan. It felt like life enjoyed watching me fall. Just as I had gotten back on my feet, I was knocked down again.  

A year has passed since then, and I miss the green field, I miss football. I went to the federation several times, but I couldn’t even get inside. I could only touch its walls.  When you are deeply in love with something, you never accept losing it. I will never accept losing football and my dreams. There’s always hope in my heart, and I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals because I am stronger than you think...!

Before the return of the Taliban, I only went to Tajikistan once with the U-17 national team. After the Taliban returned, I made many efforts to leave Afghanistan, but I couldn't. I even went to Iran, but I was deceived and had to return to Afghanistan. As a result, my family also got into debt.

I am in a place where shadowy, monstrous figures live. As much as I could, I trained, but it didn’t work. After the arrival of the Taliban, I trained with the boys' team while wearing boys' clothes. However, the Taliban found out about this and took the coach of that team to the police station, and after that, I could no longer play football. But because I am an athlete, I wake up at 4 a.m. every morning and run in boys' clothes.  

As for what football means to me, I can't express the feelings I have for it in words. I can’t imagine my future without football. I’m only searching for peace, and I find that peace next to football. Football takes me away from all my pains. When you love something unconditionally, you can’t accept losing it, and I am unconditionally in love with football.

"Football became a way to escape the challenges around us. It brought us together, regardless of our backgrounds, and gave us hope. Every goal scored felt like a victory, not just in the game but in life."

I started playing football in Afghanistan when I was really young. My friends and I would gather in the streets after school, using whatever we could find as a ball. The excitement of the game and the joy of being with friends made me feel alive. 

Football became a way to escape the challenges around us. It brought us together, regardless of our backgrounds, and gave us hope. Every goal scored felt like a victory, not just in the game but in life. 

Playing football was important to me because it taught me teamwork, discipline, and resilience. It was more than just a sport; it was a way to dream of a brighter future amidst difficult times.

(b. 2003, Herat)

“When the Taliban arrived, everything changed overnight and we had to leave our home country to find peace and freedom for myself and my family. It was a situation where we had no choice.“

When I was 14 years old, I used to play football in my school with my friends, and we got support from my family and friends. I started playing football in a small area on the street, and then we found a coach and learned more and practiced our skills. That’s how I found football, and I still proud of myself that I continue despite there being lots of pressure in my community.

When the Taliban arrived, everything changed overnight and we had to leave our home country to find peace and freedom for myself and my family. It was a situation where we had no choice. We suffered from a lot of stress and depression at that time. We found Khalida Popal as a hero. She changed our lives and we went to Pakistan for our visa, and then we moved to UK in 2021. Me and my teammates are very happy to live and play in peace and we are grateful for everything.

I play in SJR Worksop Women’s team at the moment. For me, football means so much. It gives me power confidence and freedom, and I work hard to achieve my goals.

I have loved football since I was a child, and I always watched football with my dad. I started playing football when I was fifteen years old.

I now play football for the SJR team in UK.

من وقتی کلاس هفتم مدرسه بودم علاقمند فوتبال شدم و فوتبال کردن را در مدرسه شروع کردم چند سال تویی تیم مدرسه  بازی کردم بنابر شرایط که داشتم رفتم یه شهر دیگه ونتونستم از فوتبال دست بکشم و دوباره شروع کردم  در آنجا یه تیم فوتبال از دختران مدرسه تشکیل دادم با شرایط سختی که داشتم خانوادم هیچ وقت دوست نداشتن من فوتبال بازی کنم و از نظر آنها فوتبال فقد برای پسر ها بود و تمام دختران که در اطرافم فوتبال بازی میکردن با این شرایط سخت میجنگیدن و نبود امکانات باز هم به بازی فوتبال ادامه دادم تا اینکه به تیم منتخب هرات رفتم  چند سال در تیم منتخب هرات بازی کردم 

دلیل که من فوتبال دوست دارم  اینکه من در زمین حس قدرت و آزادی را تجربه میکنم و تمام مشکلاتم را در آن مستطیل سبز فراموش میکنم 

 فوتبال خیلی برایم مهم اس وقتی میبینم خیلی از دختران از کشورم دوس دارن که فوتبال بازی کنند اما نمیتوانند با شرایط بد که تویی کشورم است خیلی از دختران از این حق محروم شدن و بازی کردن فوتبال برایشان فقد یک رویا باقی مونده  

من میخواهم بجنگم برای این حق تا رویای دختران کشورم را به واقعیت مبدل کنم و کسی باشم که بتونم به دختران کشورم کمک کنم و 

الگوی باشم تا دختران با تمام سختی و مشکلات که دارن تلاش کنند 

I became interested in football when I was in the seventh grade of school and that was when I started playing football in the school team, which I did for a few years. Due to difficult  circumstances, I went to another city, but I  could not keep myself from playing football and so I started playing again. There, a football team was formed from school girls. I tried to ignore all these difficult conditions that I faced. My family never liked me playing football because in their opinion, football was for boys. All the girls who played football around me were fighting with these difficult conditions too, as well as the lack of facilities. I continued to play football until I went to the Herat, where I played with players from the National Team for a number of years.

One night in 2021 though, suddenly everything changed when the Taliban returned to Afghanistan. It forced me leave my country, I couldn't stay anymore in my country  in such a difficult situation, especially for women. With the team, I started a journey from Afghanistan to Pakistan. A lady named Khalida Popal helped us to get out of the country. We were in Pakistan for a while with very difficult situations but we had to leave our country for a better life and freedom, and we ended up beoming refugees in England. I am very happy that as a girl I can study in this country and most importantly, I can play football and live freely.

The reason I like football is that I experience a sense of power and freedom on the field and forget all my problems in that freeing green rectangle. Football is very important to me because when I see that many girls from my country that want to play football, but they can't because of the bad conditions in my country, it makes me want to fight for this right to play. I want to make the dream of the girls of my country a reality, and be someone who can help the girls of my country by being a role model, to help them face all the difficulties and problems they have.

When I was little, I learned football with the boys playing in the alleyways and fell in love with it. I thought there might be a team for girls too. Football gave me a sense of freedom and dreaming, and my family supported me to become a professional athlete, which is why I was able to progress a lot. I became a member of the Herat Team and was selected for the national team.

I am currently playing in Rossington, Doncaster, and football is not just a sport for me. When I play football, I feel like a bird released from a cage, feeling safe and free, and all my memories of my country come to my mind, reminding me of my homeland. The only valuable thing I was able to bring with me from my country was playing football, and every time I miss my country, I play football.

From a young age, I played football outside with my brother, and I quickly fell in love with the game. Running after the ball, feeling the joy of every kick, made me realize that football was something special to me. When I finally got the chance to play with girls my own age, it was an incredible feeling—like I had found a place where I truly belonged. Football gave me a sense of freedom, strength, and confidence. It became more than just a sport; it was a safe space where I could express myself without fear. No matter the challenges I faced, stepping onto the field always reminded me why I started—because football made me feel alive.

It was a very difficult journey. We left everything behind—our family, friends, homes, and everything we had in life. Leaving the land where we grew up, full of bitter and sweet memories, was not easy. Along the way, we faced many challenges: fear, insecurity, the hardships of the road, and an uncertain future ahead. But now that I am in Portugal, I feel safe and free. Here, I can live my life the way I want, wear what I like, be myself without fear of judgment, and play football freely. This freedom is the most valuable thing I have gained.

I am currently playing for the team Vila Fria 1980. Football, for me, is more than just a game—it’s a feeling of home, a place where I feel safe and free. It gives me joy, confidence, and the strength to keep moving forward. On the field, all worries fade away, and I feel truly alive.

I play in Germany for the team ntsv_frauenfussball. 

Football is more than just a sport to me; it’s a passion that gives me a sense of freedom. Football is a universal language that shares emotions and excitement. It’s more than just a game; it’s a way to connect with others, challenge myself, and showcase team strength. When I’m on the field, everything else fades away, and only the present moment matters.

Football wasn’t just a sport for me—it was an escape, a passion, and freedom in a world that often felt restrictive. I don’t remember the exact day I started playing, but I remember the feeling. The first time I kicked a ball, I felt a rush of excitement, as if I had unlocked a part of myself waiting to be found.  In Afghanistan, playing football as a girl wasn’t always simple. There were expectations, unspoken rules about what was “appropriate,” and a society that didn’t always see the game the way I did. But when I was on the field, none of that mattered. The only thing that existed was the ball, the goal, and the endless possibility of the game. Football made me feel strong, capable, and, most importantly, free.  

I played whenever I could, despite the challenges. It wasn’t just about the sport itself—it was about proving to myself that I could do something I loved, no matter what anyone thought. It was about movement, control, and a deep sense of belonging to something bigger than myself. Football wasn’t just a game; it was a statement.

I never imagined I would have to leave Afghanistan. My home, my memories, my childhood, and my roots. But circumstances changed, and life had different plans for me.  The journey from Afghanistan to where I am now was filled with uncertainty, fear, and moments of heartbreak. I left everything in one night and sought refuge in the USA. There were goodbyes I wasn’t ready for, places I left behind that I still see in my dreams, and challenges that tested every part of me. But through it all, I held onto the things that made me who I am—my determination, my faith, and my belief that I could build something new, even in unfamiliar places.   

Now, I’m at the University of Michigan, an engineering student with big dreams. It’s a different world—new people, new expectations, new opportunities. Some days, I still miss home. Some days, I wonder about the life I left behind. But I also know that everything I’ve been through has shaped me into the person I am today.  This journey isn’t over yet. And I’m ready for whatever comes next.

I had torn my ACL, and I don't play. But I was planing to play for the Maize and blue team  club. Football is still a part of me, even with my torn ACL. Maybe I can’t play the way I used to right now, but that doesn’t mean the game has left me. It’s still in the way I push through challenges, in the way I refuse to give up, in the way I know that no matter where I am, I will always be more than the obstacles in front of me.

مه از دوران مکتب فوتبال شروع کدم و بعدا راه به فدراسیون پیدا کردیم و تانستیم از لیگ های خورد تا لیگ های برتر را بازی کنیم و بعد از تقریبا دو و یا سه سال به تیم ملی راه پیدا کردم. 

بعد ازی که افغانستان به دست طالبان سقوط کرد ما توانستیم به کمک فرخنده محتاج از کابل به مزار و از مزار به پرتگال بیاییم ولی چون وضعیت پرتگال چندان خوب نبود تصمیم گرفتم با خواهر و بیدر هایم به جرمنی بیاییم و تقریبا سه سال میشه که ده جرمنی زندگی می‌کنم 

برای من فوتبال معنی زندگی را می‌دهد