Although she says the photographs play out like a film in her thoughts, it is a scene she could not probably ever have imagined: The tip of her world as she knew it, and fairly probably her personal imminent demise.
"They had been beating our mother and father, our members of the family, our teammates," Fatima*, who's spokesperson for the Afghanistan Girls's Nationwide Soccer workforce, informed CNN Sport.
"You did not know when you'll be alive, or lifeless quickly."
The scene being described is the autumn of Kabul in 2021 and the frantic rush to exit Afghanistan earlier than the Taliban seized full management of the nation.
Girls and ladies had been significantly susceptible, as the longer term they thought they might look ahead to merely evaporated in entrance of their eyes.
"You are dropping your goals in a blink," Fatima stated.
Earlier this yr the United Nations warned "just about each man, lady and little one in Afghanistan might face acute poverty," whereas in March the Taliban went again on their much-anticipated promise to let ladies above sixth grade return to highschool.
The Afghanistan Girls's Nationwide Soccer workforce is a bunch of sturdy and impartial ladies and knew they'd be within the Taliban's crosshairs. They had been determined to flee as worry and panic gripped Kabul final yr as town teetered on the sting.
Their proudest achievements, every thing that they had labored for, instantly turned radioactive; figuring out social media accounts had been scrubbed and treasured soccer shirts, boots, medals, and trophies had been burned.
For some, the elevated standing of their positions might have proved deadly.
No less than one workforce member was recognised within the crush of individuals outdoors of the airport.
"Oh look, there's a participant from the Afghanistan Nationwide Soccer workforce," any individual was heard to have stated.
To save lots of their very own lives, the gamers needed to deceive the Taliban and deny it.
They spent two days hiding outdoors of the airport and it was one other two earlier than they boarded the C-130 transport planes that will airlift them to security.
They obtained out within the nick of time — 48 hours later, a suicide bomber killed about 180 individuals, together with 13 US servicemen and ladies. CNN has been informed that a few of the US army members killed within the blast had helped rescue the gamers.
However it was the second that the planes' wheels left the bottom, as these gigantic human lifeboats roared up into the sky, that the feelings crashed over the gamers in waves.
When a query concerning the emotion of that flight was posed to Fatima she visibly crumpled and excused herself from the interview.
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"Your query is just too deep," she defined, as soon as she has composed herself
"All of us left every thing. you are by no means going to have these issues that you simply had earlier than.
"You do not know about your future. You are saying goodbye to your nation the place you grew up, your childhood moments, so many recollections."
Many had been pressured to go away their households behind to an unsure destiny, and for a few of the gamers, the burden of their guilt in that second was crushing.
It has been eight months because the Afghanistan gamers had been airlifted to security and lots of have discovered themselves in Melbourne.
For some sport followers, Melbourne is the capital of the world, residence of Components One's Australian Grand Prix, the Australian Open tennis match, the AFL and the long-lasting Melbourne Cricket Floor. However for these Afghan gamers, it is merely their new residence.
The Melbourne Victory Soccer Membership has taken the Afghan workforce below its wing and is offering amenities and training to maximise their potential.
Director of Soccer John Didulica outlined the workforce's sporting alternatives and the purpose of sooner or later maybe taking part in a World Cup qualifier, however he burdened it was principally a humanitarian program for now.
"My first hope is healthier lives, they have very complicated private conditions and if soccer will help them get a foothold into Australian life, that is our final goal," Didulica informed CNN Sport.
"Soccer has this overriding duty to assist, not solely its members, however present the perfect humanity and the perfect in individuals.
"And I feel this workforce acts as a totem, to some extent, for lots of the nice that we see in soccer. They deserve regardless of the recreation can supply them."
While she's needed to make main changes in her life, Fatima says she has found one thing she wasn't anticipating: peace and safety.
"I by no means felt that earlier than in Afghanistan," she stated.
"I used to be afraid of so many issues. [But] I discovered it right here, peaceable moments. I stated 'that is it. You are alive. You made it.'"
"Australia is a multicultural nation," defender Mursal informed CNN Sport.
"They settle for every kind of individuals. They do not ask us 'are you Muslim? Are you Christian?'
"That is such a great factor and Australians are such a form individuals. I like it."
But life continues to be sophisticated. The backup goalkeeper, Montaha, fled Afghanistan tightly clutching the hand of her 15-year-old brother.
Now, she is accountable for taking care of herself, elevating her brother, working, finding out, and attempting to protect her dream of taking part in worldwide soccer.
No less than she is surrounded by position fashions she could not have imagined again in Afghanistan.
"Girls are taking part in higher than males right here in soccer, it was like, magical issues!" she stated.
"I used to be like 'wow, ladies are [more] highly effective than males.' And it was the happiest factor for me."
On the finish of April, the Afghanistan workforce performed their first match collectively since fleeing final August. In one among their ultimate coaching periods, the gamers had been reunited with their former coach, American Haley Carter.
As a former Marine, Carter was one of many workforce's guardian angels, pulling strings and dealing again channels to get them out safely.
"It is thrilling to see them on the pitch once more," stated Carter. "There's this sense of optimism and hope for what the longer term will deliver."
She believes the workforce's revival is a strong second that transcends all of them.
"The Afghanistan ladies's nationwide workforce performs for everybody. Each lady, each athlete, each sport, even non-athletes," she stated.
"They signify the ability of the ladies of Afghanistan, the power and the resilience of the ladies of Afghanistan.
"And so they're a reminder to ladies, all over the place, that we are able to collectively do something that we put our minds to, and we're stronger than others might imagine."
However as with so many different points of their story, it's bittersweet for Carter.
She will be able to't assist considering of the gamers they could not get out, the households who had been left behind and the army personnel who sacrificed their very own lives to avoid wasting so many others.
"It is heavy," concedes Carter.
"There's this weight that is hanging over issues."
'Braveness to remain highly effective'
There's nonetheless a lot uncertainty for this workforce and these gamers.
It is nonetheless not clear if FIFA will enable them to play below the flag and identify of Afghanistan and compete as a global workforce in exile. However no matter occurs, there will be no doubting the efficiency of their very existence.
"Nothing can cease us. We wish to present the Taliban that we're by no means going to cease," Montaha acknowledged defiantly.
"The Taliban does not enable the ladies to go to highschool or college.
"We wish to be a voice for the unvoiced who're nonetheless in Afghanistan, we wish to guarantee the Taliban that they will by no means change something."
Montaha stated the spirit within the workforce was stronger than ever earlier than, they usually definitely wanted to be sturdy for one another now.
Amidst the grins and laughter on the sphere, it might be simple to miss the immense toll that their ordeal has taken. All are ranging from scratch, some cannot communicate English, birthdays with out their households current are troublesome, and fogeys' conferences at college are a painful reminder of the absence of family members.
Fatima stated she tries her finest to elevate her teammates at any time when they're feeling down.
"I attempt to be useful and provides her the braveness to remain highly effective. Keep optimistic that sooner or later you should have your mother and father beside you, and they'll rejoice your day," she stated.
'Dream huge'
It is unimaginable to know what the longer term holds for this workforce of gamers, however as people, in their very own lives, they need to look out for themselves.
Fatima says she goals of being a businesswoman. "I am attempting to attain it," she enthused.
"Day-after-day it is motivated me to remain optimistic and work more durable. I'll really feel extra highly effective."
Carter has little question that vibrant futures lie forward for all of them.
"The sky is the restrict for this group, they've clearly confirmed to everybody that they are able to unbelievable issues."
She acknowledged some have private challenges adjusting to a brand new life in a brand new nation, and he or she shared one such dialog.
"She's annoyed as a result of she's beginning her life from zero," Carter stated.
"I discussed to her 'take into consideration all the alternatives that that now provides you. You are able to do something that you simply wish to. It is the beginning of the remainder of your life, so dream huge!'"
The gamers' full names haven't been used on this story for his or her security.*