Doncaster, England —
Five young women are staring anxiously at a laptop. This is the call they’ve long been waiting for. A flurry of mixed emotions takes over as they each learn they have been selected by FIFA for the Afghan women’s refugee squad.
The exiled Afghan soccer players have been pushing for the right to play for their country ever since they fled Afghanistan when the Taliban swept back into power four years ago.
CNN Sports spent two days in September with several of the athletes based in the north of England. They are among dozens who were evacuated to countries including Australia, the United States and Portugal.
“Obviously, it’s just an amazing moment for all of us, I can’t wait to share it with my family,” goalkeeper Elaha Safdari tells CNN Sports.
CNN
“I’m sure that my parents are going to be proud of me, and they’re probably going to see me on TV,” the 21-year-old adds before she breaks into tears. Her parents were forced to stay in Afghanistan for health reasons, leaving Safdari and her brother to start over by themselves as refugee
Continue Reading on CNN
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.