Street child trio return from Cambridge stint

Raziq, Mehr and coach Mushtaq had gone to study the English language.

KARACHI: Pakistan Street Child team’s captain Raziq Mushtaq and midfielder Mehr Ali returned to Karachi on Monday after spending three months at Cambridge with coach Abdul Rashid.

The trio studied the English language at a Cambridge University programme in the UK and also played at different local clubs in order to improve the game that they picked on the streets of impoverished localities in Karachi.

While Mehr and coach Rashid stayed at Cambridge throughout the three-month period, Raziq managed to play with Team Pakistan at the Norway Cup in July, where they won a bronze medal after competing against the top U16 clubs from 126 nations.



“I’m not the same player as I was three months ago, I have an identity now,” Raziq told The Express Tribune. “I can understand and speak English, which is very important if I’m ever recruited by a foreign club. This language course also helped me understand football; after the course, I was able to apprehend the commentaries and what coaches were saying there.”

Raziq, who belongs to Mauripur in Karachi, said that he closely observed the football culture in England and understood the importance of facilities and attention given to the players there.

“I’m back with the hope that maybe I can go to England and play professionally too, like [Mesut] Ozil, who’s my new favourite player after [Lionel] Messi,” said Raziq.

The trio also went to watch the English Premier League’s match between Arsenal and Stoke City on the weekend.

For Mehr, the experience was an eye-opener. “I realised English people respect football, the players and the game a lot.”

He added that he is grateful for the opportunity of going to Cambridge for studies.

Meanwhile, Rashid said that he is proud of his players as the English coaches seemed impressed with Raziq and Mehr. “I have a feeling that these players will be called back to England, where the scouts saw them play,” said Rashid. “Everyone at the Street Child United Summit praised Azad Foundation and this team; we’ve achieved a lot in a year’s time.”

Since 2014, the bronze-winning team in Brazil’s Street Child World Cup has managed to raise awareness and the National Assembly had also passed a resolution to ensure the rights of 1.5 million children living on the streets.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th,  2015.

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