Afghan skipper Amiri retires from football

KABUL (Pajhwok): Islamuddin Amiri, the 37-year-old captain of Afghanistan’s national football team, has announced his retirement.

He made the announcement on his Facebook page, stating that he had finally decided to retire from football. Amiri plans to pursue a coaching career.

He expressed his gratitude to all his teammates, coaches and clubs he played for, acknowledging their role in his journey.

Amiri began his football career at the age of 12 while living as a refugee in Karachi, Pakistan.

Playing as a central defender, he spent 20 years in professional football. Amiri made his debut for Afghanistan in a match against the Maldives on November 8, 2005, and played his final game on November 19, 2024 against Tajikistan.

One of the greatest achievements in Afghan football history came in 2013, when the national team won the South Asian Championship. Amiri was the team captain during that historic victory.

Amiri played a total of 63 matches for the Afghanistan national team.

kk/mud