Peace, football and understanding
|17 year old Abdullah Shah. Image: Daniel Lipinski / Soda-Visual
“Let’s welcome to the pitch Pakistan, playing in their very first Homeless World Cup.”
Four very nervous young men in slightly oversize shirts scrambled onto the turf stage, cheered by an enthusiastic crowd waving flags of each nation, to face opponents Israel.
That’s four very nervous junior players from Pakistan with one of the tournament reserve players bolstering their ranks, as their four senior players were still in transit. No pressure then, lads.
But, as team manager Ahmed Nawaz explains, whatever the result of the game, off the pitch the players and the organisation have already achieved more than they ever thought.
“Our foundation PDP—which stands for Physical Education, Development and Peace—began five years ago as Pakistan was experiencing many problems, mainly terrorism.
“We were four friends that got together to see what we could do. We are all sportsmen and businessmen and we want to contribute for the betterment of our society, through sport, to lead to peace in our country.
“Peace is our first priority. After peace we can go to work, we can go to education, we can prosper, but everything is based on peace.”
The organisation kicked off by working with youngsters in basketball then moved on to football in 2015, organising street football tournaments at different levels and developing a coaching plan.
“The first year we had small numbers joining us then last year we had over 900, and this year we have 2000 players taking part,” Nawaz continues. “Pakistan has five provinces and we have a co-ordinator for each province—we go to former football players and they volunteer for us—and then partnerships within these provinces.”
Young players join from throughout the country and across society, with a vision of a future with purpose, allowing them the basic human right for children to play, one that had been lost due to social injustice and poverty.
“We do not have to look for players, the players look for us,” Nawaz adds quietly.
Having been admitted to the Homeless World Cup family in 2016, this first tournament has been a long time in the planning.
“We looked to our communities—to our doctors, our engineers—and said this player, this team is representing your country, please be proud, be proud for your district, please support us.
“It’s not about winning matches, for us. This is an opportunity and an achievement just to be here. We are very happy and very proud to be part of the tournament.”
Well, it might not be about the winning, but the reduced Pakistan side successfully landed nine goals in the net and conceded just four, to register victory in their first match. Good job, goalie—except he’s the striker, usually, and it was his ‘keeping debut!
|Ahmed Nawaz and Abdullah Shah. Image: Daniel Lipinski / Soda-Visual
Due to the unavoidable delay of their four senior team members into the UK, 17-year-old Abdullah Shah from Hyderabad, the baby of the team, found himself pulling on the outsized goalie gloves during the first couple of days of the tournament. His aunt, who works with Nawaz, helps coach the team and he’s currently a student at the same college where both his elders work—“A very good student, studying mechanical engineering,” adds Nawaz, underlining how the youngster’s involvement in sport set him on a positive educational path.
Shah outlines his journey—physically and figuratively—to Cardiff. “We are very tired after 40 hours travelling, then two hours sleep, then we wake up and come to the ground. But this is my and my team’s dream come true!
“I have loved football since I was 10 years old. My football hero is Cristiano Ronaldo. I became involved with PDP because otherwise I could not afford to play football. PDP gives me everything.
“Normally on a Saturday, like today, I would wake up at 6am for prayers then I would go to the ground for football with PDP and I also do running. Then at 10am all PDP team members have breakfast, then I go home for rest before I study and do my homework.”
The eldest of three brothers, Shah is aware of the role model responsibility now on his shoulders. “My younger brother also plays football. I am a little bit of a hero for him now that I am playing football for my country here. To play with Homeless World Cup badge on my shirt makes me so proud.
“Sport is a way to improve your life, to improve things for yourself, to show everybody that I can be somebody.”
Positive beginnings and happy endings here too, as the four delayed players were on their way into camp to support their teammates and complete the PDP family.
Words: Isobel Irvine
Images: Daniel Lipinski / Soda-Visual