Afghan female youth football team relocate to Portugal

ITV News Correspondent Stacey Foster reports on the Afghan's female youth football team fleeing to Lisbon, Portugal

Afghanistan's female youth football team have found asylum in Portugal after they were forced to flee from the Taliban in August.

The team never thought they would be able to play the game they love so dearly again, but the 14, 15 and 16-year-olds could not give up on their dream of playing football.

After anxious weeks, they have made it to Lisbon with some of their family members and are back in training and in their football kits.

One member of the team is still in shock that she can play her beloved game again, she told ITV News: "I can't believe that after weeks we are at home and we can play football and we can play in a green ground in Europe.

"We are so happy."

Tamana Khoroshan said: "After a long time not playing football I am so, so happy!"

And the young women had a wonderful surprise as captain of the women's national football team Farkhunda Muhtaj greeted them in Lisbon.

Ms Muhtaj spent weeks helping arrange their recent rescue from Afghanistan from her home in Canada.

She said: "They were fearful of their lives.

"They have been females, they have been footballers all their lives and advocates for women's and girls rights and all of sudden you have this new regime.

"They did not know what their future was going to look like, they were in a precarious situation."

Last month Leeds United have called on Boris Johnson to urgently grant UK asylum to an Afghan women's youth football team and their families before their visas run out.Following the closure of Kabul International Airport, more than 30 footballers were left stuck in the chaos of the Afghan capital as the Taliban swiftly revoked women's right to play sport.

Pakistan allowed the players and their relatives into the country on temporary 30-day visas.