Afghan soccer player who died in fall from US military plane had big dreams, says friend and teammate
'He had big dreams to help our country,' said Zaki Anwari's friend
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}EXCLUSIVE: Zaki Anwari, an Afghan national youth team soccer player who died when he fell from a U.S. military plane leaving Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, had big dreams, his good friend and former teammate told Fox News in an exclusive interview.
His friend's brother, who was translating, told Fox News: "He told me he had a lot of dreams like becoming the best player in Afghanistan." The friend and his brother agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity due to concerns of retribution from the Taliban.
Anwari, who was 19 years old, was reportedly trying to hold onto the outside part of the plane as it departed.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Zaki's dream, one dream, is to arrive in America" and "also to serve our family in here, to send money," the brother said. "He also had big dreams to help our country."
AFGHAN YOUTH SOCCER PLAYER DIED IN FALL FROM US AIRCRAFT AT KABUL AIRPORT
They explained that when the U.S. military airplane from Kabul was leaving, Zaki felt like "it was his last chance to go to another country."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The translator said his brother also dreams of playing soccer in the U.S.