Afghan girls soccer team in Portugal gets surprise visit
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Ana Brigida
Members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team and their families visit a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaMembers of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team and their families visit a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
A member of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team poses for her father in front of the Belem Tower at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaA member of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team poses for her father in front of the Belem Tower at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Farkhunda Muhtaj, center, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, hugs one of the team members as they meet at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon and surprised her teammates at the park. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaFarkhunda Muhtaj, center, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, hugs one of the team members as they meet at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon and surprised her teammates at the park. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team and their families visit a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaMembers of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team and their families visit a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Farkhunda Muhtaj, center, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, talks to the media after meeting her teammates at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon and surprised her teammates at the park. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaFarkhunda Muhtaj, center, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, talks to the media after meeting her teammates at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon and surprised her teammates at the park. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Farkhunda Muhtaj, left, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, talks to her teammates and their families as they meet at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon and surprised her teammates at the park. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaFarkhunda Muhtaj, left, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, talks to her teammates and their families as they meet at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon and surprised her teammates at the park. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team take a selfie with their mother in front of the Belem Tower at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaMembers of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team take a selfie with their mother in front of the Belem Tower at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Relatives of members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team join them in a visit to a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaRelatives of members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team join them in a visit to a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Farkhunda Muhtaj, back to camera, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, hugs one of the team members as they meet at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon and surprised her teammates at the park. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaFarkhunda Muhtaj, back to camera, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, hugs one of the team members as they meet at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon and surprised her teammates at the park. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
A member of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team seats in front of the Belem Tower at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaA member of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team seats in front of the Belem Tower at a park by the Tagus river in Lisbon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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The girls on Afghanistan's national football team celebrated a week in Portugal with a surprise visit by the senior team captain.
The girls on Afghanistan's national football team celebrated a week in Portugal with a surprise visit by the senior team captain.
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Ana Brigida
Members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer teams stretch during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaMembers of the Afghanistan national girls soccer teams stretch during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Farkhunda Muhtaj, left, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, runs with the ball during a training session with her teammates at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon to meet the other girls and direct the training session with them. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaFarkhunda Muhtaj, left, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, runs with the ball during a training session with her teammates at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon to meet the other girls and direct the training session with them. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Farkhunda Muhtaj, center, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, talks to her teammates during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon to meet the other girls and direct the training session with them. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaFarkhunda Muhtaj, center, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team, talks to her teammates during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon to meet the other girls and direct the training session with them. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer teams jog during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaMembers of the Afghanistan national girls soccer teams jog during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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Ana Brigida
Members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer teams hug during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaMembers of the Afghanistan national girls soccer teams hug during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
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After six months without any practice, the Afghan girl's football team is back on the pitch. One week after landing in Portugal, the teenage girls were happy to be playing their beloved sport again after fleeing their home country.
After six months without any practice, the Afghan girl's football team is back on the pitch. One week after landing in Portugal, the teenage girls were happy to be playing their beloved sport again after fleeing their home country.
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For weeks, the Afghanistan national girls soccer team had been waiting for word they could leave. On Sunday, the message finally came. The girls boarded a charter flight from Afghanistan to Portugal, which has granted them asylum.
For weeks, the Afghanistan national girls soccer team had been waiting for word they could leave. On Sunday, the message finally came. The girls boarded a charter flight from Afghanistan to Portugal, which has granted them asylum.
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Ana Brigida
Farkhunda Muhtaj, center, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team hands out training vests to her teammates during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon to meet the other girls and direct the training session with them. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
Ana BrigidaFarkhunda Muhtaj, center, the captain of the Afghanistan women's national team hands out training vests to her teammates during a training session at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. Muhtaj, who lives in Canada, flew to Lisbon to meet the other girls and direct the training session with them. The girls and their families arrived in Portugal Sept.19 after an international coalition came to their rescue.
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Girls from the Afghanistan national soccer team who were recently granted asylum in Portugal have had a surprise visit from the captain of the senior team.
Farkhunda Muhtaj, a professional player who from her home in Canada spent weeks helping arrange their recent rescue from Afghanistan, flew into the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, for an emotional reunion with the girls’ team late Wednesday.
As the sun set over the River Tagus, the girls aged 14-16 and their families gathered on the riverbank and hugged and kissed Muhtaj amid smiles and tears.
“They have dedicated so much, they have been so resilient, and to finally see them in person has been so emotional because I knew how much they went through,” Muhtaj said.
After the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the girls and their families tried to leave their country. They feared how their lives might change under the Taliban — not only because women and girls are not allowed to play sports, but because they were advocates for girls and active members of their communities.
What made the rescue mission harder was the size of the group — 80 people, including the 26 youth team members as well as adults and other children, including infants.
“You are a fantastic nation for impacting the lives of so many girls and for supporting us in so many ways and providing these girls with asylum,” Muhtaj said, thanking Portugal for taking them in.
The rescue mission, called Operation Soccer Balls, was coordinated with the Taliban through an international coalition of former U.S. military and intelligence officials, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, U.S. allies, and humanitarian groups, according to Nic McKinley, a CIA and Air Force veteran who founded Dallas-based DeliverFund, a nonprofit that’s secured housing for 50 Afghan families.
On Thursday, the girls practiced with Muhtaj at a soccer pitch in Odivelas, outside Lisbon.
