The Afghanistan national football team is the national football team of Afghanistan and is controlled by the Afghanistan Football Federation. Founded in 1922, they played their first international game against Iran in Kabul, 1941. Afghanistan then joined FIFA in 1948 and the AFC in 1954, as one of the founding members. They play their home games at the Ghazi National Olympic Stadium in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. In 2013, Afghanistan won the 2013 SAFF Championship and earned the "FIFA Fair Play Award". Afghanistan has never qualified for the AFC Asian Cup.
Clint Brian Bolton is an Australian former goalkeeper. He was one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the history of the National Soccer League, which preceded the A-League. He played over 300 games for Brisbane Strikers, Sydney Olympic FC and Parramatta Power, and won two A-League championships with Sydney FC.
Sunil Chhetri is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains both Indian Super League club Bengaluru FC and the India national team. He is known for his link-up play, goal scoring abilities, and leadership. He is the third-highest international goalscorer among active players, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, fourth overall, and is also the most-capped player and the all-time top goalscorer of the India national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Indian footballers of all time for his contributions for the country.
Ibrahim Fazeel is a Maldivian footballer nicknamed "Oppo". He can play both as a midfielder and as a forward currently who plays for Llangefni Town FC. He started his career while he was a student in Majeediyya School in 1999. Fazeel played his first international match on 2 April 2000 against Syria and scored first goal in the Golden jubilee international tournament against Bangladesh. He is the only player who scored for times in the semi-finals to take Maldives to the finals.
Ali Ashfaq is a Maldivian professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains the Maldives national team. Nicknamed "Man of Steel", he is regarded as one of the best players in the South Asian region. A prolific and individualistic goalscorer, he is a free-kick specialist and a clinical finisher. His trademark style of scoring is beating the defenders and rounding off the keeper to score. He is considered as the best Maldivian footballer ever, most notably when he was named as the "World's 2nd best top goal scorer" in 2013 by IFFHS. He was also named as South Asia's Best Player in 2014 by eultimategoal.com. In March 2016, Ashfaq scored his 50th goal for Maldives.
Ashad Ali, nicknamed Adey or Adubarey, is a Maldivian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Club Valencia. He was a member of the Maldives national football team.
Hashmatullah Barakzai is an Afghan football player who plays for Shaheen Asmayee F.C. in the Afghan Premier League. He has also played for the Afghanistan national team.
Arindam Bhattacharya is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for I-League club Inter Kashi.
Nirmal Chettri is an Indian footballer who plays mainly as a defender and last played for Southern Samity in the Calcutta Football League.
Chongtham Sushil Kumar Singh is an India football player. He is currently playing for NEROCA F.C. in Manipur's local statewide league.
Jewel Raja Shaikh is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for South United in the I-League 2nd Division.
Laxmikant Kattimani is an Indian association footballer who plays for Hyderabad as a goalkeeper.
Hamidullah Yosufzai is an Afghan former football goalkeeper who played for Afghanistan national football team, and has 14 caps. He has also played for Shaheen Asmayee F.C. football club in Afghanistan..
Zohib Islam Amiri is an Afghan professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for A.S. Blainville and the Afghanistan national team.
Raju Eknath Gaikwad is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defender for I-League club Delhi. Gaikwad primarily plays as a centre back, but can also play as a full back and is a long throw specialist.
Sandjar Ahmadi is a footballer from Afghanistan who currently plays for Hamm United FC and Afghanistan national football team. He scored two goals against Sri Lanka in 2011 SAFF Championship, helping the national team win 3–1. Ahmadi scored the winning goal against Laos in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers. He scored against Pakistan in a friendly on 20 August 2013. He scored The winning goal against Nepal in the 2013 SAFF Championship to take his nation to the finals. And then in the final he scored the winning goal against the India national football team to earn his country their first ever FIFA tournament win. The team was also granted $50,000 US Dollars for being the champions. In an interview with Afghanistan's captain Zohib Islam Amiri, Amiri said "He is a great player, and we couldn't have won this without him."
Mohamed Faisal is a Maldivian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Dhivehi Premier League club, Maziya and the Maldives national team.
Faysal Shayesteh is an Afghan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for I-League club Sreenidi Deccan and the Afghanistan national team.
The 2013 SAFF Championship Final was the final match of the 2013 SAFF Championship which took place in Nepal on Wednesday, September 11, 2013, and was officiated by Tayeb Hasan Shamsuzzaman of Bangladesh. It was the 10th installment of the tournament since its inception in 1993.
Mustafa Azadzoy is an Afghan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Atlas Delmenhorst and the Afghanistan national team.
