The images from the chaos at Kabul airport are difficult to see.
For Norlla Amiri and his Afghan comrades in the Malmö club Ariana FC, the pictures became extra tragic when one of those who died after falling from a military plane was 19-year-old Zaki Anwari, one of the players in the youth national football team.
– It’s very tragic. His face felt familiar as one of the guys we met. You can not understand that people can get to the point where you get stuck on a plane that is about to take off, it’s awful.
We are completely powerless and can do nothing.
At the age of nine, Norlla Amiri fled himself with his family from Afghanistan to Sweden.
– We came here because of the war to seek a better life. Our uncles had moved here since one by one.
Now the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan.
– The whole government and the system has fallen. What is happening is heartbreaking and very difficult for us to see, we are completely powerless and can do nothing.
30-year-old Norlla Amiri made her debut in the national team in 2015 and has played 23 international matches in the Afghan national team jersey.
– I am one of those who have been in the national team the longest of all.
– Norlla Amiri cheers in Afghanistan’s national team. He does not know what will happen to the national team now.
Photo: Private
The team’s goalkeeper Ovays Azizi is also a national team player for Afghanistan and Noor Zadran, Saber Azizi, Arfan Habibi and Edriss Hushmand have previously played in the national team.
Norlla Amiri is gloomy about the future of the national team after the Taliban took power.
– There will be big problems, unfortunately. I do not even think we will get our national team together right now. There is a tendency for collapse within the Afghan Football Federation.
The last time the national team gathered was in May when Afghanistan played unofficial international matches against Malaysia and Indonesia and then played international matches against Oman, Bangladesh and India.
– We have not received any information about what is happening now.
Norlla Amiri, who played in the Superettan with Trelleborgs FF, founded Ariana FC in 2015 together with Omid Hushmand and Saber Azizi.
It is not we ourselves, the Afghans, who want a war, but the war has come to us.
Club colors is black, red and green, similar to the Afghan flag which consists of three vertical bands in black, red and green.
– Ariana is an old name for Afghanistan. Among our members and players, around 60–70 percent have roots in Afghanistan.
The criticism that Sweden receives Afghans fleeing their country is sometimes harsh.
– It is not ourselves, the Afghans, who want a war, but the war has come to us. People have fled their homes and their own homeland. It is a people that the Swedes may unfortunately not have the right image of, they are very kind-hearted people, hospitable and they rarely want trouble. The majority are not criminals, unfortunately there have been people who have been injured in war and lived with war for 40 years and you can not expect much from them.
– But the majority of Afghans are a very nice people, which we also try to describe. We try to do it through Ariana FC and want to go out into the community and do good. I try to be a role model and help everyone else, says Norlla Amiri.
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– image 1 of 2 Photo: Private
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– image 2 of 2 Photo: Private
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Ariana FC started in division 8, a series that counted as a reserve team series.
Several meritorious players were in the lineup and the goal was high.
– It is the mentality that we want to spread in our identity, it is in our DNA. We have high goals, regardless of whether it is about sports or what happens off the field. We stand for integration, societal issues are very important for the association.
The matches are played at home at Hyllie IP.
– It is a folk festival with an atmosphere beyond the ordinary. It is both older and younger who come, everyone gathers, there is live music, food and competitions. We can have 500-600 spectators at a match, depending on how important it is. But we average maybe 350 a regular match on a regular day.
For a couple of years now, they have also had youth teams
– We are trying to grow and have seven teams and around 100-150 active young people.
– After Ariana changed coach in June, the success has come and the team is at the top of its division 3 series.
Photo: Private
The A-team has won series after series but in division 3 it has become tougher.
– In the beginning it was very difficult.
The team changed coaches and got Tommy Ringblom in at the end of June and at the same time as some players were allowed to leave, the results came.
– Since the change of coach, we have won four straight games and played a cross, says Norlla Amiri.
Åkarps IF leads the series on 18 points after nine rounds, Ariana FC is fifth but only one point behind Åkarp, IF Lödde and IFK Trelleborg.
On Saturday, the derby against Malmö City awaits.
Read more: Australia evacuates Afghan female athletes
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