There may be a 10,000-kilometre lifetime between his native Afghanistan and sleepy Brossard, but Qais Walizada hasn’t abandoned the beautiful game.

“War existed in my country way before I left, and it’s nowhere close to ending,” explains the 22-year-old captain, whose own family fled to Canada when he was just five years old. “War, education, the economy – these are all factors contributing to why we eventually left. But we’ll never forget our roots or our culture.”

Half of the players on the FC Kabul squad he now leads share similar stories. Many were lucky enough to play soccer in that dusty arid heat.

All still believe the game can heal.

“It’s one of those sports where kids can forget their problems: all the stress of work and complicated relationships,” he explains. “You don’t even need shoes or a field. You just need a ball.We’re a multicultural team, free of racism. We take that to heart. Andright now I’m proud of my team, and I know we’ve got even more to prove.”

Thing is, FC Kabul also like to win. And with only one loss in their first six games, the very competitive B Division in Brossard is theirs for the taking.

New reinforcements have solidified the former FC Zyara side, which ultimately went down to the Ballkickers in last year’s playoffs. Dave Christophe has brought great vision and leadership, Aghiles Tebbani a mastery over the airways and the Ramin and Fardin Mohd-Hussain brothers, midfield dominance.

“Before the season even started we pictured ourselves on top. And now that we’re there, we’re planning to stay put. The goal is to win everything. We don’t even worry about other teams. Whether it’s FC Arabesque or Kentucky FC, we play our game. And we have no fear.”

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