Pakistan reportedly exports 20 million soccer balls yearly. Despite the country’s contribution to the Football world, why do we not direct our energy to our football teams? The Pakistan national football team, managed by the Pakistan Football Federation, has only been part of one major tournament, the South Asian Games, in which the team won gold medals. Pakistan has been a member of FIFA since 1948 and, as of 2022, is the only team in Asia that has never won a FIFA World Cup qualifying game. The country has been banned by FIFA multiple times due to political implications, leaving the national team in disarray.
The undeveloped football sector of Pakistan, much like the rest of Pakistan, is a victim of a structural dilemma. This lack of structure is apparent when considering how unrecognized the football clubs in Pakistan are. There are a few issues to highlight. First, the teams need to be provided with training opportunities and thus cannot enter different tournaments. Moreover, the efforts made by the football clubs in Pakistan need more consistency regarding participation in leagues. Lastly, children who may be passionate about football do not have the freedom to train due to a lack of club exposure, making it difficult for them to achieve recognition.
We ignore the strides made by hard-working individuals in Pakistan, similar to the national football team players.
IMAN AHMAD,
Islamabad.
