History Repeats Itself

When the Taliban first took power in Afghanistan in 1996, Wida Zemarai fled with her family to Sweden. Today, she is at the Dana Cup as a coach for a group of Afghan girls who fled in 2021, when the Taliban again took over the country and imposed a strict Islamic dictatorship that does not allow girls to sunbathe, study or play sports such as e.g. football.

'In 2021, the girls from Ayenta FC were rescued from Afghanistan and flown to Portugal, where they live today, while many of their families still live in Afghanistan', says Wida, who herself participated in the Dana Cup as a player in 2001.

'So history repeats itself', Wida smiles at the thought of how she herself came to a completely new country with a language that was difficult to learn.

Actually, the girls from Ayenta FC come from different clubs. Last year they participated in the Gothia Cup, and they now visit the Dana Cup for the first time.

'We are here so that the girls will have a good experience both socially and sportingly, and perhaps make new friendships', Wida Zemarai says.

Ayenta is Farsi and means future - and the future is what the coach and the girls hope their participation in the Dana Cup will point towards.