Afghanistan's women footballers defy Taliban regime, find hope in international games
Manoozh Noori still remembers the feeling of wanting to die when the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan four years ago. The ban on girls and women from playing sports was a harsh reality she faced every day, one that ultimately forced her to flee the country with her family.
Noori joined forces with other Afghan refugee women living in Australia, forming the team "Afghan Women United". She says defying opposition from her family was not an easy task. The family had initially opposed Manoozh playing football but eventually accepted after seeing how much passion she displayed for it, Manoozh said in an interview.
The team took part in the FIFA Unites: Women's Series tournament held in Morocco last month and scored their first goal, marking a major milestone for Afghan women footballers. Although they lost to Chad and Tunisia, their 7-0 win over Libya was a triumph.
Manoozh recalled burying her trophies in her family backyard when the Taliban regime returned. She left the country with her team mates but they had not thought that she would be able to play international games for Afghanistan.
The participation of Afghan women's footballers in international games has won praise from FIFA President Gianni Infantino who described it as "a beautiful story" and a testament to the women's determination and resilience.
Nilab Mohammadi, 28, said football is more than just a sport - it represents life and hope for her and other players. Nilab represented Afghanistan in the national team before the Taliban regime returned to power and defected to Australia to study medical sciences.
Mina Ahmadi, 20, reflected on how FIFA's recognition gave them a new dream. The Afghan Women United team now seeks to be recognized by FIFA as the Afghan national women's team.
The team has made immense progress in their journey to play international games for Afghanistan. They are determined to continue pursuing this goal and have won praise from experts like Aish Ravi, a researcher on gender equity in sports who worked with several of the players when they first arrived in Australia.
Manoozh Noori still remembers the feeling of wanting to die when the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan four years ago. The ban on girls and women from playing sports was a harsh reality she faced every day, one that ultimately forced her to flee the country with her family.
Noori joined forces with other Afghan refugee women living in Australia, forming the team "Afghan Women United". She says defying opposition from her family was not an easy task. The family had initially opposed Manoozh playing football but eventually accepted after seeing how much passion she displayed for it, Manoozh said in an interview.
The team took part in the FIFA Unites: Women's Series tournament held in Morocco last month and scored their first goal, marking a major milestone for Afghan women footballers. Although they lost to Chad and Tunisia, their 7-0 win over Libya was a triumph.
Manoozh recalled burying her trophies in her family backyard when the Taliban regime returned. She left the country with her team mates but they had not thought that she would be able to play international games for Afghanistan.
The participation of Afghan women's footballers in international games has won praise from FIFA President Gianni Infantino who described it as "a beautiful story" and a testament to the women's determination and resilience.
Nilab Mohammadi, 28, said football is more than just a sport - it represents life and hope for her and other players. Nilab represented Afghanistan in the national team before the Taliban regime returned to power and defected to Australia to study medical sciences.
Mina Ahmadi, 20, reflected on how FIFA's recognition gave them a new dream. The Afghan Women United team now seeks to be recognized by FIFA as the Afghan national women's team.
The team has made immense progress in their journey to play international games for Afghanistan. They are determined to continue pursuing this goal and have won praise from experts like Aish Ravi, a researcher on gender equity in sports who worked with several of the players when they first arrived in Australia.
they're defying the Taliban regime and finding hope in international games... it's like they're showing the world what strength & resilience can do 
Manoozh, Nilab & Mina are total rockstars 
their determination is infectious! I'm loving how FIFA is supporting them too, it's all about celebrating women's empowerment in sports 
I mean, I'm not gonna lie, it's amazing that these Afghan women footballers are making waves and defying the Taliban regime but can we talk about how bloody slow the process is?! 
Like, four years ago they were forced to flee their country and now they're only just getting into international games. It feels like a whole lotta progress has been made in a very short space of time 
.
. And what about mental health support? These women have been through so much trauma and it's only natural that they'd need some extra care 
.
I mean, can you believe it? Afghan women footballers actually getting to play international games after all that drama under the Taliban regime 
. It's like they say, football is life and hope for them, right? 
. And it's not just about the playing, it's about how it's giving them a sense of purpose and identity after everything they've been through 
. I'm loving this story, can't wait to see what's next for Afghan Women United 
this is wild 
it's crazy to think about manoozh and her teammates having to flee their country and then coming back to play sports 
they're not just playing for themselves, but also for all the other afghan women who are still living under the oppressive regime 
! I mean, can u imagine having to put ur dreams of playing footy on hold b/c some extremist regime tells u otherwise? 
But they didn't let that bring 'em down. Instead, they formed this amazing team, "Afghan Women United", and started kickin' goals (literally!) 
. And it's not just about the footy itself – it's about what it represents: freedom, empowerment, and the human spirit 
. Can't wait to see what the future holds for this team! Maybe one day they'll be playin' in front of a packed stadium, representin' Afghanistan with pride 
.
. because let's be real, these women have faced some serious adversity in their lives, from the taliban regime to leaving their families behind 
. but they're still out here grinding and chasing their dreams 
it's truly beautiful. The fact that they got to represent Afghanistan in international games and even scored goals is just insane 
Nilab Mohammadi's quote about football being more than just a sport... I mean, come on, who doesn't know that already?! 
but seriously, it's so true. Football can bring people together, provide a sense of community and belonging, and be a powerful tool for self-expression and empowerment 
they went all out 2 represent their country in int'l games & make FIFA proud!!! its not just about the win either, its about the journey, the passion, the determination... these players r truly the heroes we need! 
#TeamAfghanWU #LetThemPlay
. And honestly, I'm kinda torn about FIFA's recognition - on one hand, it's awesome that they're getting the recognition they deserve, but on the other hand, isn't it kinda weird that they have to go through all this drama to be recognized as a national team? 
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️! It's not just about the game itself, it's about the hope and freedom that comes with it. Nilab's words about football being life and all that stuff resonates so much with me 
.
anyway, I was thinking about how amazing it is that these Afghan women are playing football again after everything they went through... it gives me chills to think about all the struggles they faced just to be able to do something they love 
!