Europes first Afghani football star calls Blacktown home
sportSoccer05 Nov 09 @ 10:00am by Bryn Kay
Khalil Popal has packed his bags for an overseas football career.
EVEN as death knocked at his doorstep, Khalil Popal was the kid that dared to dream.
Now, through sheer perseverance, that dream has become a reality, and in time he may become Australias most recognisable athlete.
Popal, a Blacktown refugee, signed a soccer contract with Greek club Panthrakikos F.C. last month, making him the first-ever Afghan-born person to play first-division soccer in Europe.
But the 21-year-olds remarkable achievement has not come easily, living a life that has played out like a rags to riches fairytale.
Until he was 12, Popal lived in war-torn Kabul, Afghanistans capital, where the opposition werent wearing soccer outfits but rather military-style clothing, as the sounds of gunfire and bombs regularly shook the walls of his home.
``I didnt go outside much because it was too dangerous I didnt go to school because schools were always a target, he said.
``We (Popal and his two brothers) had no television and no radio to understand what soccer was, so we relied on what our father told us about the sport.
``Because we had no soccer ball and because we had to play inside, we would take a T-shirt, roll it up and tie it together tightly with string to make the ball, while we used shoes for the goals.
Fearing for their lives, the family fled to Australia in 2001, where Popal was confronted with something hed never seen before, something many Australians take for granted the beach.
The ``golden soil, as he called it, lured him into playing beach soccer.
Through hard work and the help of a year abroad playing field soccer in Brazil, Popal eventually made the Australian beach football team and he will travel to the Asian Beach Football Championships in Dubai this week.
From there the team has the chance to qualify for the world championships, also in Dubai a week later.
After making the national team in March, this meek-mannered soccer prodigy with dazzling feet and larger-than-life heart decided to send his resume out to a host of Europes outdoor soccer clubs.
In August, Popal was flown over to trial with Panthrakikoss second-division side, impressing club officials so much they immediately signed him up to the first-division team.
At the conclusion of his beach football duties, Popal will return to Greece, where he has media crews anxiously waiting to talk to him.
He also proudly revealed that the BBC will make a documentary on his life.
But while he may be the first Afghan-born player to play elite-level soccer in Europe, Popal said the land he calls home is Australia.
``I gave up my old life and call this my country now, he said.
``Its not possible for me to balance two balls on one foot, so its the green and gold who I am proud to represent.
Popal said he hopes to become an ambassador for other refugee children in Australia, proving that even the seemingly most outrageous of dreams can come true, but for now he will live his own dream.
``This is unbelievable since I was a boy I have wanted this to be my career, he said.
``When I was at school I didnt carry books in my bag, I always had a soccer ball instead.
``Soccer is my religion, but this is just the beginning.
Popal has signed a preliminary one-year contract with Panthrakikos, where he will get a car, accommodation and a six-figure salary.
http://blacktown-advocate.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/europes-first-afghani-football-star-calls-blacktown-home/
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Khalil and his Australian team go down in world qualifiers
sportSoccer11 Nov 09 @ 03:48pm
Blacktown's Khalil Popal represented Australia at the Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 Asian Qualifiers , in Dubai
The Qantas Australian Mens Beach Football Team have been defeated 4-2 by Oman in their final group match of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 Asian Qualifiers in Dubai.
Khalil Popal was one of eight NSW based footballers in the team that was pushing for a semi-final spot in the in the world qualifiers, but the team got off to a bad start and never recovered.
They alloweed Oman to score the opening goal in the third minute of the match. Oman doubled their lead, with just seconds remaining in the first period when Nasser Al Mukhaini found the back of the net.
After a scoreless second period, the Australian side pulled a goal back early in the third period when Jonathan Cook scored to make it 2-1.
Oman extended their lead shortly after through Jalal and effectively sealed the match two minutes later when Nasser Al Mukhaini scored his second goal. Michael Matricciani scored with six minutes remaining to give Australia some hope of a fight-back, but unfortunately no additional goals were forthcoming and Oman held on to book a berth in the semi-finals.
Japan, Bahrain, Iran and Oman will now progress to the semi-finals stage which is later today, with the winners of the each semi-final match advancing to the final and will also qualify for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009.
The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 will be played in Dubai from 16 to 22 November 2009 and involves 16 nations including United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Uruguay, Solomon Islands, Spain, Cte dIvoire, El Salvador, Russia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Nigeria and Switzerland.
