Smiling with One Eye and Crying with the Other

The Afghan players from Ayenta FC in G18-19 participate in the Dana Cup for the first time. And they have a nice time in Denmark.

'But they smile with one eye and cry with the other, because they are very alone. When we played Tiller from Norway, our opponents had lots of family and friends cheering them on. Our girls had none, so after the game someone shed a little tear. Not because we lost the match, but because they lack someone to back them up', their coach, Wida Zemarai, said.

Ayenta means future in Farsi, and for the girls and the managers it is important to keep faith and show the outside world that the Afghanistan they love and knew before the Taliban took power in 2021 still exists.

'That is why it was also important that we were allowed to enter the opening ceremony with the Afghan flag. Because the real Afghanistan still exists for us', emphasizes Wida Zemarai, who hopes for a little more support in the next matches.