This archive report was first published on 30 September 2021.
On September 29, 2021, the captain of Afghanistan's national women football team, Farkhunda Muhtaj, posed for a portrait with teammates at the Belem Tower in Lisbon, Portugal. The team had fled their country in fear after the Taliban seized power in August 2021.
Among the players was 15-year-old Sarah, who had dreamed of playing soccer professionally and meeting her idol, Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal has granted asylum to the young footballers, giving them a chance to pursue their dreams.
"I'm free," Sarah 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 added.
However, Sarah's mother was less optimistic about their ability to return home. She had experienced the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001 and knew the difficulties they faced.
Despite the challenges, the team's captain, Farkhunda Muhtaj, was determined to help the girls achieve their goals. She flew to Lisbon on Wednesday to surprise the youth team players, who were overjoyed to see her.
"The reason we took on this mission (to evacuate the team) was to ensure they can aspire and play the sport they love," Muhtaj said. "They been through so much, so many challenges. They were just resilient and they were able to make it happen," she added.
