Migrant soccer students in Casey were given a rare opportunity when they got to meet an Afghan national player for the first time in Narre Warren South last week.
Almost 100 students of Hope Australia Soccer Academy gave Mohammad Naeem Rahimi the celebrity treatment as they asked him questions about his career and made a beeline for autographs on their jerseys, boots and water bottles.
Like many of HASA’s students and parents, Rahimi experienced displacement through war, moving to Australia with his family when he was a child. He kept working at his soccer skills until he qualified for his national team.
With more than 40 per cent of HASA students coming from Afghanistan, and others from Sudan Iraq and Pakistan, Rahimi’s story resonated and inspired Casey’s young migrant soccer community to reach for their dreams.
Speaking after joining HASA’s coaches in training sessions, Rahimi described the experience as surreal.
“It brought back a lot of memories for myself as I went through a similar program in Sydney called Football United,” Rahimi said. “The things I learned and the friends I made are everlasting.”
Rahimi also noted the level of talent shown on the field and diversity of cultural backgrounds.
“I think HASA sends a powerful message through football that helps a lot of younger kids, not only with their soccer skills but also life in general,” he said.
Rahimi, 26, made his debut for the Afghan national soccer team in 2019 against Malaysia in a friendly, followed later with a match against Oman in a World Cup qualifying game.
He currently plays for Pascoe Vale along with his commitments to the Afghan National Team, which he said he is committed to bringing to Australia in September to meet “the huge Afghan population in Melbourne”.
HASA is a non-profit soccer program for children aged seven to 18 who live in the Casey-Cardinia region. The government-sponsored training involves developing soccer skills and life skills through a mentoring approach, and is conducted by Brazilian ex-professional soccer players. The Academy currently has about 100 students, with the majority coming from migrant and refugee families.
