MONDAY-JUNE 21, 2021 Sport 05 Khalida's story: Playing football Gosens gains glorious revenge on for unity during EURO 2020 Ronaldo as Germany stun women in the refugee centers go- Portugal in Euro 2020 cracker ing through depression and stress and some of the women were try- ing to end their lives. It was so sad. I said to myself, ‘I don’t want to sit and cry’. No matter what happens to me, I don’t want to give up on my activism, on my mission to empower women and girls and also to use the power of sports to unite people, to unite women, and help women to be powerful and also be strong to manage to go through their diffi- cult situation. I remember that I felt that liv- ing in a refugee center is like you live as a person with no identity – you’re no-one. You’re not part of the country, even if you’re in a very well-developed country, you’re known as no-one. You Khalida Popal, former mem- Every time that they said ‘no’ ball Federation. don’t have anything and there are ber of the Afghanistan women’s to me playing football, I said that Football actually taught me a not so many activities. There are Robin Gosens once asked for Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal Just moments later, Portugal national team, shares the story of I can prove to them that I can do certain type of activism, how I a lot of restrictions, and you have Cristiano Ronaldo's jersey after a Germany Euro 2020 GFX conceded another own goal, this how she fled her home country, it. Every time I played football, could use football as a way to own an unknown future, you don’t game between Atalanta and Juven- Low stuck to his guns, time from Raphael Guerreiro, af- experienced the healing power of the minute that the ball rolled, I my voice but also to support the know what is waiting for you. I tus. though, and was rewarded with a ter a clever cut-back from Kim- football and how she is now using started feeling happy, I started other women in my country to felt that living in a refugee center I The five-time Ballon d'Or spectacular display. mich. the beautiful game to empower feeling disconnected from all these own their voices. That’s how ac- was like a doll hanging in the air, winner didn't even look at the With Germany, and Kimmich By that stage, it was abun- young people from different back- challenges and problems I had as tivism started in me - through foot- where I could not land on my feet, German as he said no. in particular, taking a leaf out of dantly clear that the Seleccao had grounds through the Football for a refugee, as a child, when I had ball. I could not fly in the sky, but I "I was completely blushed the Atalanta playbook by switch- a major problem with Germany's Unity project with FC Nordsjæl- problems in society as a woman, My activism and activities was hanging, and I didn’t know and ashamed," Gosens later wrote ing the play to the left flank at wing-backs, and Gosens in par- land. as a girl. put me in great danger, so I could what to do. in his autobiography. "I went every opportunity, Gosens ran ticular. Yet Portugal proved utter- Football for Unity is a project When I was no longer allowed not live any longer in my country, Then I said to myself, ‘I have away and felt small." riot. ly incapable of doing anything co-funded by the European to play football on the street with and I had to leave. It was not only to help myself and also help oth- His latest meeting with Ronal- Portugal actually took the about it. Union’s Asylum, Migration and my brothers, I was determined not the people who are very religious ers.’ I had to again use the power do went a hell of a lot better. lead, and just 15 minutes in too, Indeed, within six minutes of Integration Fund and the UEFA to give up, but bring the passion, or extremist, but also people who of sport that helped me in tough Indeed, Gosens must have felt with Ronaldo tapping home after the restart, Muller played the ball Foundation for Children. the love that I experienced, to all were afraid of losing power to situations in my country. So, I ten-foot tall as he lapped up the Diogo Jota had latched on to a stun- into the path of the completely I grew up with the passion for the women and the girls my age women. That was a lot of pres- started bringing the ball again, and applause of the Allianz Arena af- ning pass from Bernardo Silva. unmarked Gosens, who crossed football so they could also feel that expe- sure, and I wanted to save my then I started getting women and ter being replaced midway It meant that Ronaldo had for Havertz to slide home. I started playing street foot- rience. voice to make a bigger impact and girls involved, we were living in through the second half of Ger- equalled Miroslav Klose's record One would have presumed at ball with my brothers when I was Founder of the first national a bigger change, so I chose to leave the same center, I started knock- many's thrilling 4-2 defeat of Por- for most goals across the Europe- that point that Portugal would, at a child. I grew up and lived in a women’s football team in Afghan- my country. ing on the doors and saying, tugal. an Championship and World Cup the very least, try to get tighter to warzone, in Afghanistan, and then istan The challenges of being a ref- ‘Come on, get out, we are going to Just seconds beforehand, he combined (19). He just keeps Gosens but he was totally un- I left as a refugee when I was nine Then, I started a campaign at ugee run and then after running we’ll had risen majestically at the back making history, and he looks un- marked as he headed home Ger- years old. my school which spread to dif- I travelled to Norway, where go and do some football and then post to add a goal to the two as- likely to stop any time soon. many's fourth. Until I was a teenager, I lived ferent schools, and then went all I lived in different refugee centers, we’ll do some dancing.’ sists he had already racked up in a However, this was a disturb- Credit to Ronaldo, he helped in a refugee center as a refugee in the way to creating a kind of I experienced living as a refugee in I created my own organiza- remarkable comeback by the ingly disjointed display from the drag his side back into the game Pakistan, because of the war, and league around the schools. That’s a different way, as a grown-up tion, 'Girl Power' See P7 hosts. reigning champions. It was telling with a full-stretch assist for Jota, the only thing that could motivate how we started getting more in- woman. When I experienced it for Before the game, even Liver- that Ronaldo's goal represented who made it 4-2 from close range, me – keep me together – was volvement from the federation, the first time I was more of a child, cinch pool boss Jurgen Klopp had ques- the Seleccao's first shot on goal, but there was no doubt that the sport, especially football. pushing the federation to recog- and I didn’t feel it that deeply. tioned Germany's decision to and Jota's initial control their first game belonged to Gosens. When I returned to my coun- nize our league and then establish Living in a refugee center in Nor- Championships stick with the same team – and, touch in the Germany box. This was the night on which try, I played football with my a first women’s national team in way I felt so much pressure on more importantly, same formation Even by that stage, Gosens the highest-scoring defender in brothers on the street, because Afghanistan. women, the lack of social activi- 2021: Cameron – which had struggled to fashion was tormenting Nelson Semedo Europe's 'Big Five' leagues last football is the first game in my Every time I was pushed ties, the lack of interest in women openings in their tournament- and had already seen an acrobatic season announced himself on the country. back, I stood back up and I said: and girls. Norrie beats opener: a 1-0 loss to France. back-post volley disallowed for a international stage. At that time, I faced people 'I’m not giving up'. I was sure I Then I moved to Denmark, "Every coach has the right to handball by Thomas Muller in the He was head-and-shoulders trying to stop me from playing, could do it and could do it better. and in Denmark I also lived in ref- Denis play as he sees fit," Klopp told build-up. above every other player on the because I was no longer a child. I That drove me to find the first ugee centers. At that time, I was Mr Powell said pandemic-related unemployment benefits "appear to be" keeping potential workers at home, along with other factors like healthcare concerns and childcare or caring responsibilities.