Kelly Lindsey: Afghanistan women’s coach says it is ‘life or death’ for players

Afghanistan are yet to qualify for their first major tournament, but the team is still in its relative infancy.

And their “mission” – as Lindsey describes it – is bigger than winning football matches.

“All of the girls play with this passion and energy, for the pride of their nation. Although most national teams play with that, these girls recognise the challenges that they face, the unity they need to have and hopefully the future that they bring for young women around the world.”

Lindsey says the ultimate ambition is to qualify for the World Cup – but Afghanistan remain outside Fifa’s top 100 nations and have few trailblazers to inspire them.

Hosts Jordan will be the only Islamic country in April’s Women’s Asian Cup, which doubles as a qualifying tournament for the 2019 World Cup.

And while Afghanistan’s training camps remain part national team get-together and part taster sessions, their development will, at best, creep along.

Lindsey won’t see her players again until June, when they go on a tour of Japan, but she has big ambitions.

“We are building this team to compete, to qualify for the World Cup,” she says. “When that will happen, I can’t answer.

“We have a lot of work to do – but the only way we’re ever going to get there is to play our best and see where we stand.

“The day that we do qualify, the world will know that women’s football has changed.”

Also on this week’s World Football, former England midfielder Kieron Dyer talks about the lasting impact of the sexual abuse he suffered as a child, and the life of excess he regrets leading as a millionaire teenager.