Sport

Afghan girls’ soccer squad find new home in Ronaldo’s Portugal

Published

4 years ago

October 1, 2021

Leaving her homeland Afghanistan was painful, says 15-year-old Sarah. But now safely in Portugal, she hopes to pursue her dream of playing soccer professionally – and perhaps meeting her idol, star striker Cristiano Ronaldo, Reuters reported.

Sarah was one of several players from Afghanistan’s national female youth soccer squad who fled their country in fear after the Taliban hardline Islamist movement seized power in August.

Portugal has granted asylum to the young footballers.

“I’m free,” she said, smiling from ear-to-ear as she visited Lisbon’s landmark Belem Tower on the River Tagus with her mother and teammates.

“My dream is to be a good player like Ronaldo – and I want to be a big business woman here in Portugal,” she said.

She hoped to go back home one day but only if she can live freely, read the report.

Her mother, who requested that Reuters did not use their surname, had experienced first-hand a previous era of Taliban [Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] rule from 1996 to 2001. She is less optimistic they will ever be able to return.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s leaders have promised to respect women’s rights but under their first government, women could not work and girls were banned from school. Women had to cover their faces and be accompanied by a male relative when they left home.

A senior Islamic Emirate official said after the Aug. 15 takeover that women would probably not be allowed to play sport because it was “not necessary” and their bodies might be exposed.

“The reason we took on this mission (to evacuate the team) was to ensure they can aspire and play the sport they love,” said Farkhunda Muhtaj, captain of the Afghanistan women’s senior national team, who flew to Lisbon on Wednesday to surprise the youth team players.

From her home in Canada, where she works as assistant soccer coach at a local university, Muhtaj has been in touch with the girls throughout the evacuation process, codenamed Operation Soccer Balls. It managed to rescue a total of 80 people – the female youth team and family members, including babies.

According to the Reuters report they landed in Portugal on Sept. 19.

When Muhtaj showed up on Wednesday night, the girls were ecstatic. They hugged. Some could not hold back the tears.

“They been through so much, so many challenges,” Muhtaj said. “They were just resilient and they were able to make it happen.”

One relative, 25-year-old Zaki Rasa, recalled the chaos at the Kabul airport, where he spent three anguished days. He is now delighted to be in Portugal and wants to continue his studies.

“There is some uncertainty about the future,” he said. “The important thing is that we are safe.”

Related Topics:Afghan Girls featured Portugal soccer squad

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FIFA president backs Mexico’s World Cup preparations despite cartel violence

Published

2 days ago

February 25, 2026

Ariana News

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reaffirmed his confidence in Mexico’s readiness to host matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite recent security concerns linked to cartel violence.

Infantino said FIFA is closely monitoring the situation but remains “very reassured” about Mexico’s preparations. He emphasized that safety planning is being coordinated with national and local authorities and expressed confidence that the tournament will be “spectacular.”

Mexico is set to host matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey as part of the first-ever tri-nation World Cup, co-hosted with the United States and Canada. The 2026 tournament will feature an expanded 48-team format and 104 matches.

Recent violence in parts of Mexico, including Jalisco state, raised international concern after clashes followed a major security operation targeting cartel leadership.

However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said there is “no risk” to World Cup fans and that comprehensive security guarantees are in place.

BBC has noted that while security challenges remain in certain regions, federal authorities have stepped up operations and coordination ahead of major international events. FIFA officials have indicated there are no plans to remove any Mexican host venues from the schedule.

Mexico previously hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986 and will become the first nation to host the men’s tournament three times. Organizers say preparations remain on track as the global football community counts down to kickoff in June 2026.

Sport

Richard Pybus appointed as head coach of Afghanistan’s national cricket team

Published

3 days ago

February 24, 2026

Ariana News

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has appointed Richard Pybus as the new head coach of the Afghanistan national cricket team.

Pybus is set to join the AfghanAtalan squad ahead of their upcoming white-ball series against the Sri Lanka national cricket team in March.

A globally respected cricket leader and performance director, Pybus brings decades of international coaching experience.

He previously served as head coach, director of cricket and head of high performance for the West Indies cricket team from 2013 to 2019. During his tenure, he designed and implemented a high-performance structure that culminated in a historic treble in 2016, when the West

Indies men’s, women’s and U19 teams all claimed ICC World Cup titles in the same calendar year — a first in international cricket.

Pybus also coached the Pakistan national cricket team, guiding them to the final of the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup, where they finished runners-up to Australia.

He later held a senior leadership role with the Bangladesh national cricket team in 2013.

At domestic level, Pybus has enjoyed notable success in South African cricket, leading teams to nine championship titles — a national record — and earning South African Cricket Coach of the Year honors twice.

He has also contributed to the development of several leading international players, including Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, South Africa’s Faf du Plessis, and fast bowler Dale Steyn, widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history.

Beyond coaching, Pybus is recognized for his academic work in performance strategy.

In 2022, he earned a Doctorate in Professional Practice from Middlesex University in London for his research on the “Optimal Performance System,” a framework aimed at delivering consistent results across diverse high-performance environments.

He also holds a postgraduate degree from the University of Greenwich and a BA (Hons) degree from the University of Portsmouth.

Pybus is a Level Four CSA-certified coach and holds an executive coaching certificate from the NeuroLeadership Institute, in addition to being a certified performance coach and master-level NLP practitioner.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board welcomed Pybus to his new role and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the national side forward.

Sport

José Antonio Nogueira appointed new Afghanistan head football coach

Published

6 days ago

February 21, 2026

Ariana News

The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) announced on Saturday that José Antonio Nogueira of Brazil has officially been appointed as the new head coach of Afghanistan’s national football team.

According to an AFF statement, Nogueira’s introduction ceremony was held on Saturday in Kabul.

The statement added that Nogueira has taken charge of the national team after signing a one-year contract.

Previously, Italy’s Vincenzo Alberto Annese served as head coach of the Afghanistan national football team.