Arts & Entertainment
Afghan Soccer Tournament Comes To Dublin, California
The Afghan Football Support Organization held their annual international soccer tournament in Dublin, California last week.
Afghans came together in Dublin, California in August 2018 for the Afghan Football Support Organization’s annual soccer tournament. This is a vibrant community that has come together for decades – many of the players have been on the team for twenty years, and multiple generations in the same family play together. Afghan-rooted soccer players as far away as Australia came to Dublin to participant in the 2018 tournament.
The agility, strength and speed of the players was impressive as was the genuine strength of the community.
Adeeb Haidari is 19 and has played soccer for 11 years. Growing up in the United States, Adeeb watched his dad play soccer and learned from playing with him. He passionately describes the game, and the community it has fostered here. Adeeb learned to play soccer from watching his father playing for the same team and learning from him since he was 3. He smiles playfully joking, “My dad raised me up as a ball.”
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Adeeb played for the Youth Under 16 National Team in Afghanistan when he was 14. He spoke about the passion for soccer in Afghanistan – how children who can’t afford soccer balls will kick around socks wrapped up or even plastic water bottles. He describes the strength, resiliency and game that connect Afghans across the world regardless of language or any other barrier.
Adeeb’s 17-year-old sister Haia Haidari also participated in the 2018 AFSO tournament. She describes the connection, support and unity within the Afghan soccer community.
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“At school it’s hard to find people with similar experiences,” Haia said describing the tremendously positive impact the Afghani soccer community has had on her life. “It makes me really proud of my background and if I didn’t have this community I’d feel more disconnected.”
To learn more about AFSO or to support their organization please call (800) 518-8206 or visit their website: http://www.afso.org/. You can also visit the AFSO page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFSO-201934669823545/
PHOTOS BY VANESSA THOMAS
For more of Vanessa Thomas’s work or to purchase her art please visit: https://fineartamerica.com/artists/vanessaleethomas/prints
Tournament photo courtesy of AFSO
