In Sudan, where a women’s national football team remains a distant dream, Salma al-Majidi knew the only way to take part in her beloved sport was to coach… and that the players had to be men. Majidi, 27, acknowledged by FIFA as the first Arab and Sudanese woman to coach a men’s football team in the Arab world, is a pioneer in a sport that dominates the region. “I became a coach because there is still no scope for women’s football in Sudan,” said Majidi, who is affectionately called “sister coach” by her team. Daughter of a retired policeman, Majidi was 16 when she fell in love with football. Named in the BBC’s 2015 list of “100 inspirational women”, Majidi has coached the Sudanese second league men’s clubs of Al-Nasr, Al-Nahda, Nile Halfa and Al-Mourada.

Source: Egypt Independent April 03, 2018 04:07 UTC