Sport
Afghan girls’ soccer squad find new home in Ronaldo’s Portugal
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.”
Sport
ACB holds high-level meeting with new national team head coach
Officials exchanged views on preparation structures, player management, and coordination between departments ahead of future international assignments.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has held a comprehensive introductory meeting with newly appointed national team head coach Richard Pybus, bringing together senior officials and key technical departments to discuss the future direction of Afghan cricket.
The meeting was led by ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan and included heads of domestic cricket, international cricket, the selection committee, and the high-performance centre. National team captains Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ibrahim Zadran also took part in the discussions.
According to the board, the first part of the session focused on outlining the long-term strategic vision for Afghanistan cricket, including performance goals and development pathways for the national team.
The head coach then led detailed technical discussions with department heads, seeking input on planning and execution for the upcoming national team training camp in Kabul. Officials exchanged views on preparation structures, player management, and coordination between departments ahead of future international assignments.
The ACB described the meeting as productive, noting that it reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen communication between coaching staff and technical units as the team prepares for a busy international schedule.
Afghanistan’s under-17 national football team concluded their 2026 CAFA U-17 Championship campaign with a 3–2 defeat against Tajikistan in their final match.
The team had previously registered two losses and one draw in their earlier three fixtures of the tournament.
The Central Asian competition, featuring five countries including Afghanistan, is being hosted by Uzbekistan and is scheduled to conclude on April 13.
The championship serves as a development platform for youth football in the region, offering players valuable international exposure while allowing national federations to evaluate emerging talent.
Fans across Afghanistan can follow the matches live on Ariana Television.
Richard Pybus, newly appointed head coach of the Afghanistan National Cricket Team, has arrived in Kabul to oversee the team’s upcoming skill development and training camp, the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced on Saturday.
He was welcomed by Naseeb Khan, Chief Executive Officer of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, who outlined the board’s strategic priorities and expressed high expectations for the team under the new coaching leadership.
During his first visit to the Afghan capital, Pybus held a series of meetings with officials from the Selection Committee, International and Domestic Cricket departments, and the High-Performance Center. He was joined by national team captains Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ibrahim Zadran, with discussions focusing on upcoming fixtures under the Future Tours Programme (FTP), team strategies, and preparations for the training camp.
According to the Afghanistan Cricket Board, a month-long camp involving nearly 40 players will be conducted under the supervision of the High-Performance Center and the head coach. The camp is scheduled to begin on April 12 and will run until May 16.
The training program is aimed at preparing the national side for its upcoming Test match and a three-match One Day International (ODI) series against India National Cricket Team.
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