From the Football Field to the Heights of Glory
- Tamim Attaiy
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Khalida Popal, the Enduring Voice of Afghan Women in the World of Books
On a glorious night in London, where the voices of sports and literature intertwined, Khalida Popal, former player of the Afghanistan national women's football team, achieved a great honor for Afghan women and the global community. With her influential book titled My Beautiful Sisters, she won the award for Best Sports Book of the Year 2025. This work also received the "Vikki Orvice" award for women's sports writing; an honor not only for the author, but for all the women who have fought in silence.
The book My Beautiful Sisters is more than a personal narrative; it is a testament of resistance, faith, and the victory of the Afghan woman against discrimination, violence, and imposed silence. Khalida Popal, who was once the captain of the Afghanistan national women's football team, is now a global voice in defense of women's rights; and this book is the story of her journey from the grassy field to the world stage, where hope rises alongside honesty.
Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has said about this book: “An inspiring and very important work; a voice for the women who were not heard.”
At the official ceremony for the introduction of the best sports books of the year, held in London, Khalida stood among the prominent global figures of sports and media and brought pride. Alongside her, notable names such as Sir Chris Hoy with his autobiography All That Matters and Johnny Sexton with the book Obsession were also honored. But what made Khalida stand out was not only the power of her writing, but the depth of an experience that had risen from displacement, censorship, and resistance.
In her speech at the ceremony, Khalida said: “This award does not belong only to me. This is dedicated to all Afghan girls who, despite the silence, never gave up hope.”
The book My Beautiful Sisters is not only a record of a life full of ups and downs, but also a mirror of thousands of Afghan girls who are still fighting in the dark. This work shows that even on the days when everything collapses, the voice of a woman can change history.
At this ceremony, Rudi Bloomfield, a veteran in publishing sports books, was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The program, supported by the brand “Charles Tyrwhitt” and attended by guests such as Danny Care, Steph Houghton, Guillem Balague, and other prominent figures, was a stage for honoring the voices of women who carved their path through the masses of stone and silence.
Khalida Popal is now not only a team captain on the field, but a hero in the global arena of the fight for justice and honesty, and her book is a flag raised on a peak that has been climbed with tears, blood, and hope.
