Saba hopes to attract more females to football in Pakistan

2022 World Cup youth ambassador says game helps you develop as person

LONDON: A Karachi girl who is a youth ambassador for the 2022 World Cup has told how going to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France has inspired her to get more youngsters like her playing soccer at home.

Saba Lakho attended Festival 19 in Lyon,  a football for development event in organised by streetfootballworld.

The 20-year-old shared a pitch with two stars of the women’s game, German coach Mokika Staab and Honey Thaljieh, former captain of the Palestine Women’s team who now works for FIFA.

Saba had travelled to France football as a youth ambassador for Generation Amazing, Qatar’s project to develop football in poorer countries as part of the legacy of the 2022 World Cup, whicb Doha is hosting.

She said: “It taught me a lot to be on the same pitch as Monika and Honey. Next I want to continue my football for development work and use the lessons learned back home. I want to expand the programme in Karachi – because I want more girls form my community to be able to play football.

“The things football has done for education, physical health and mental health in my community is great – I love seeing this change and that is what keeps me motivated to keep improving.”

Saba says she first got involved in developing football in her community four years ago, at the time of the last World Cup.

Speaking after attending the Women’s World Cup final between USA and the Netherlands, she said: “I started playing football four years ago. There is a local club called Karachi United and they had open trials.

“I went to play because I had always been a fan of football and would always watch it. I didn’t know if I could play. Now I have been playing for three-and-a-half years, and have started teaching other girls in my community.

“I applied for the Generation Amazing programme, and have been youth ambassador ever since, it has been a great experience. We have worked with children in schools and it has been amazing.”

So far Generation Amazing has benefitted 500,000 people by developing football at grassroots levels everywhere from refugee camps in Jordan to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and the Philippines. It hopes to reach a million people by the time the World Cup kicks off in 2022.

Lakho added: “Playing football really helps you develop as a person, nothing else could have helped me like this. We have worked with children in underprivileged areas, it keeps them out of trouble and in school. It also teaches them to live healthy lifestyles.”

Other youth ambassadors learning alongside Saba in France included Raya Almoani, also from Pakistan, Anisha Khicha, from Nepal, and Mashal Ghalib, from Jordan.

Speaking after she had given a pep talk to the youngsters, Honey Thaljieh said: ‘It was an honour and pleasure to be here with Generation Amazing, meeting all the youngsters from different parts of the world and inspiring them through football.

“It is fantastic to see their passion, to see their commitment, to see their hard work and their dream for a better future through football. With Generation Amazing giving them the opportunity, it is a great platform. They need opportunities in order to excel in life. They have a lot of potential and skills, they just need that opportunity. With Generation Amazing, they can make it happen and they can make those dreams come true.”