The future of the Pakistan men’s football team appears to be on the right track as the country builds the necessary structure for sustained success on the international stage, but the present will likely be shaped by the diaspora players.
Pakistan’s head coach Nolberto Solano has revealed plans to strengthen the national side by persuading UK-based players of Pakistani origin to represent the Green Shirts at the international level, a strategy that was also used by his predecessor, Stephen Constantine.
Speaking about his strategy during international breaks, Solano said that he intends to travel across the United Kingdom to meet with potential recruits who could bring much-needed quality and depth to Pakistan’s squad.
“When I’m back in the UK, in between international windows, I’ll be meeting players of Pakistani origin and persuading them this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance,” Solano said, highlighting the importance of tapping into the diaspora talent pool.
The former Newcastle United midfielder added that initial conversations have already been encouraging. “I’ve had expressions of interest from players in the Championship, League One, and League Two,” he noted, stressing that the project will require both commitment from the players and support from relevant stakeholders to succeed.
Diaspora players already form the backbone of the current Pakistan national football team. McKeal Abdullah, Abdul Arshad, Yousuf Butt, Mohammad Fazal, Harun Hamid, Abdullah Iqbal, Imran Kayani, Otis Khan, Rahis Nabi, and Easah Suliman are just a few examples who have been recruited from abroad in recent years, with their development in structured conditions preferred over that of domestic footballers.
Pakistan Women’s Football team has followed a similar strategy as well.
While doubts remain about the long-term effectiveness of this strategy or its fairness to the local players, the coaches are likely to rely on foreign-born players until the local talent pool expands significantly.
For Pakistan, who just recently started making strides on the international scene, this approach could prove vital. The national side is finally seeing some regular action, and by attracting UK-based professionals, Solano hopes to raise standards and accelerate progress against Asia’s more established footballing nations.
Pakistan fans will be watching closely to see which names emerge from these efforts, with the potential for new faces to make an impact in the next footballing window.