sport.wikisort.org - Athlete

Farkhunda Muhtaj (born November 15, 1997) is an Afghan international footballer, who plays as a midfielder with Dutch club Fortuna Sittard in the women's Eredivisie.

Farkhunda Muhtaj

Personal information
Date of birth	(1997-11-15) November 15, 1997 (age 24)[1]
Place of birth	Pakistan[2]
Height	5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Fortuna Sittard
Number	10
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2019	York Lions	57	(5)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2018	Vaughan Azzurri	18+	(0)
2019	Durham United FA	13	(0)
2021	Vaughan Azzurri	7	(0)
2022	Fatih Vatan S.K.	8	(0)
2022–	Fortuna Sittard	0	(0)
National team
2016–2018	Afghanistan	6	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 May 2022

Early life

During the Afghan Civil War, Muhtaj's family fled from Afghanistan and went to Pakistan, where they lived without valid papers, and was where she was born.[2] Her family then moved to Scarborough, Ontario in Canada in 2000, when she was two.[3][4]

University career

From 2015 to 2019, she attended York University, playing for the women's soccer team, serving as team captain in 2018 and 2019.[5][6] She scored her first goal on October 25, 2015, against Algoma University.[7] In 2018, she led the OUA with 11 assists.[8] In 2019, she was named an OUA West Division First-team All-Star for the first time as the Lions won the OUA championship.[8][9] In September 2020, she continued with the team as assistant coach.[5][10]

Club career

She began playing for Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario in 2015.[11] She made six league appearances in 2016,[12] eight league appearances in 2017,[13] and four league appearances in 2018.[14]

In 2019, she began playing for Durham United FA making 13 league appearances.[15]

In 2021, she returned to Vaughan Azzurri, making seven league appearances.[16]

On March 3, 2022, she signed with Fatih Vatan S.K. of the Turkish Women's Football Super League.[17]

On July 30, 2022, she signed with Dutch club Fortuna Sittard, a new expansion side in the women's Eredivisie.[18]

International career

Muhtaj was a member of the Afghanistan women's national football team since 2016,[19][20] eventually becoming team captain in 2018.[21] She scored a goal against India on December 27, 2016, at the 2016 SAFF Women's Championship.[22]

International goals

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	27 December 2016	Kanchenjunga Stadium, Siliguri, India	India	1–4	1–5	2016 SAFF Women's Championship

Operation Soccer Balls

Following the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in August 2021, women's rights were severely restricted, including the banning of female sports. Muhtaj, who lived in Canada and was the captain of the Afghanistan women's team, was part of a group that was formed to help a group of 80 people composed of the 26 members Afghani female youth team aged 14 to 16 and their families flee the country.[23][24] The Afghanistan Football Federation reached out to Muhtaj on August 14, who joined the girls' WhatsApp group to help co-ordinate the departure, serving as the only point of contact for the group.[25][26] The rescue mission, which was called Operation Soccer Balls, was coordinated with the Taliban through an international coalition of former U.S. military and intelligence officials, United States Senator Chris Coons, United States allies, and humanitarian groups.[27] The mission initially suffered multiple setbacks, including several failed rescue attempts and a suicide bombing carried out by Islamic State militants,[27] with the group having to go into hiding after being unable to leave before the August 31 deadline for safe passage out of the country had passed.[28][23] The group landed and was granted asylum in Portugal on September 19.[11] On September 29, she arrived in Portugal to meet the group.[24] She remained in Portugal with the team to help guide them.[4] A second evacuation flight bringing over other players and additional family members arrived in November.[29]

Personal

Muhtaj is an Ontario Certified Teacher after having graduated from York University's Bachelor of Education program.[20][23] She has a National C coaching license.[20]

References

External links

• Farkhunda Muhtaj at Soccerway

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