Football: Kabuliwallahs in town

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: For 15-year-old Abdul Mateen football has either been synonymous with the uneven grounds in Kabul or with following the mega stars battling it out on the much-cherished green turfs of Europe. And, of course, till a few years ago, with praying for the sport’s survival in Afghanistan.
"During the Taliban rule, playing was difficult with strict codes and the bias towards Pathans," Mateen says in almost error-free Hindi."Due to that, my family was forced to live in Pakistan for around six years and returned to Afghanistan last year," he explains.
Mateen is here as a member of the Habibiya School (Kabul) taking part in the Subroto Cup.
Credit goes to young boys like Mateen and ‘ustaads’ like Mohd. Asif who have kept the passion for the world’s most popular game alive in Afghanistan amidst all adversity. Now, the craze for football is so much that it’s giving ‘buz-kahshi’, Afghanistan’s national sport, a stiff competition.
"‘Buz’ means sheep and ‘kahshi’ is pulling up. It’s a bit like polo," Mohd. Pamir tries to explain, taking over the job of translator from Mateen. The two are the only ones who know Hindi and English.
For most of these boys, this is the first trip outside their country. They are living their dream of showcasing their talents on a big stage and are also enjoying living with kids from various parts of India. It has certainly giving them a new perspective on India, which till now was all a few Bollywood movies and the cinestars. "This is an amazing place with wonderful food and people are so friendly," says a visibly excited Pamir on behalf of all his teammates.
"We have also learnt a lot from the other teams in the tournament," says coach Asif. "It was always the traditional 4-4-2 formation for us but here we realised how various field set-ups can be beneficial in different situations."
Just like the coach, the boys have a hunger to learn and their basics are very clear when it comes to football. While Barcelona are their favourite team for their rhythmic team play, Chelsea are revered for their star power. But when it comes to training, no team can take the place of Brazil.
And just as others start talking excitedly about their future plans of following into the foot-steps of their heroes Zidane, Ronaldinho, Henry and becoming full-timeplayers, Mohd. Sher Ahmad gets real. "We definitely have to look at the facilities and conditions back home before making any decision," he says. Ahmad Tameen also chips in: "Soccer can’t provide a wholesome career." Tameen wants to become a professional footballer but is preparing to become an engineer.
However, coach Asif is still hopeful of a bright future. "Thankfully, now banks and other sponsors have started putting their money into local clubs and tournaments. If this continues we might also become a force to reckon with," he says.
Insha’Allah!