The Afghan National Football Team was given a warm welcome by President Hamid Karzai, several other government officials and tens of thousands of fans in Kabul on Thursday morning aftern returning from Nepal where the team defeated India 2-0 in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup to claim Afghanistan's first international championship trophy.
The historic victory sparked massive spontaneous street celebrations across the country. In Kabul, thousands of residents crowded the streets waving flags, singing songs and firing celebrators gunshots into the air for hours after the final whistle of the match blew. In a country where violence and economic hardship are a part of everyday life, the triumph of the Lions of Khorasan let loose of torrent of joy and national pride that lasted through the night, but will be remembered for much longer.
A crowd of over 20,000 people welcomed the national team players as they made their way from the airport, where they were greeted by President Karzai and his fellow officials, straight to the Ghazi Football Stadium to celebrate with fans and showcase the SAFF trophy. The players were met with booming chants of "long live Afghanistan."
The Afghan team won four matches and drew one over the course of the week-long tournament. The championship win over India marked a fitting vindication after Afghanistan was defeated in the finals by the same opponent 4-0 in the last edition of the competition two years ago in New Delhi.
"I cannot express my happiness. We actually won the SAFF Cup. I am here at the stadium to celebrate the win," said Zarghoona, a Kabul city resident who attended the Ghazi Stadium victory rally.
Although no women were out in the chaotic streets on Wednesday night, Several women were present at the Ghazi Stadium event, joining in the celebrations by waving Afghan flags.
Yousef Kargar, the coach of the Afghan team, proudly said that it was not a victory only for sports, but for all aspects of Afghan life. He added that the win and subsequent rejoice was a sign of unity among the Afghan people.
"It is not a victory only in sports, but it is a victory in the economic, political and cultural sectors. We won the South Asian Championship because of our hard work," Mr. Kargar said.
Meanwhile, prominent Afghan politicians congratulated the team on the victory.
"The win was not easy, the national team faced major challenges, but they proved to the world that Afghans are extremely talented," said Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the leader of the National Front Party (NFP).
The Afghan players expressed their happiness with the win and said that it was their responsibility to make the country proud and live up to the expectations of their countrymen.
"We fell short in 2011, but we won it this year. I'm so happy," said Sanjar Ahmadi (#11), an Afghan attacker and one of the goal scorers in the championship match. Ahmadi also scored a goal against the tournament hosts, Nepal, in the hard fought semi-finals match.
Thursday's welcome was impressive, not just because of the turnout of prominent Afghan leaders, but also because of the resilience the throngs of fans showed after having celebrated for hours on end the night before. Faces were painted, cars were decorated and flags draped every which way. Even police forces out to manage crowd control engaged the festivities, honking horns and even shooting their guns in the air.
"This happiness is more than the joy during Eid," one football fan who joined in the street celebrations on Wednesday night.
Once the game ended on Wednesday night, many residents of provinces around Kabul flocked into the city to join in the party.
"I have come from Parwan province to join the celebrations along with my countrymen. I consider this victory as an unforgettable moment," a Parwan resident in Kabul said on Wednesday night.
The celebrations on Wednesday night, and the high-profile reception the team received on Thursday signal just how important this victory was for Afghans. The winning of the first international tournament in country history is a remarkable accomplishment. But more profoundly, it was clear from the reactions and general atmosphere of the capital on Thursday that, amidst all the challenges and uncertainty facing Afghanistan, the spirit of hope and pride is alive and well.
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