Moroccan girl wearing hijab at World Cup inspires Muslim female footballers
LONDON – Moroccan player Nouhaila Benzina made history last Sunday when she became the first female football player to wear a hijab at a FIFA World Cup match.
Her appearance has inspired Muslim women and girls playing grassroots soccer in the United Kingdom.
Sports officials say the Football Association has made efforts to make women’s football more inclusive, and there are now a growing number of clubs accommodating the needs of Muslim players.
Benzina’s appearance is a positive step in breaking down barriers for Muslim women in football.
An inclusive club like Frenford & MSA is training a number of Muslim girls, including nine-year-old Fatimah-Zahra Sardar, to realize their dream of playing football.
In the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the club organizes midnight training sessions.
Sardar and other Muslim girls welcomed Benzina for wearing hijab. They said it has demonstrated that hijab is no way any hindrance to perform any activity.
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