Main content

Football on the Frontline

Richard Conway spent time with Syria's national football team. He discovered that, for some Syrians, the country's football team appears to transcend the nation's deep divisions.

Earlier this year, Syria's National Football team tried to qualify for the World Cup. It was an astonishing achievement for a country entering its seventh year of a bloody civil war. The team can't play at home and many of its star players have left Syria. Other stars refuse to play because the team is funded by the Assad regime. Richard Conway spent time with members of the squad in Damascus, and then met the whole team in Malaysia where they won a qualifying match against Uzbekistan. He discovered that, for some Syrians, the country's football team is a focus for national pride which appears to transcend the nation's deep and bloody divisions.

30 minutes

Last on

Christmas Day 201722:30GMT

Credits

RoleContributor
ProducerDavid Lockwood
DirectorDavid Lockwood
CorrespondentRichard Conway
Camera OperatorTony Jolliffe

Broadcasts

  • Fri 2 Jun 201723:30GMT
  • Sat 3 Jun 201711:30GMT
  • Sat 3 Jun 201716:30GMT
  • Sun 4 Jun 201723:30GMT
  • Wed 7 Jun 201723:30GMT
  • Fri 9 Jun 201709:30GMT
  • Mon 12 Jun 201723:30GMT
  • Tue 20 Jun 201723:30GMT
  • Thu 22 Jun 201723:30GMT
  • Christmas Day 201705:30GMT
  • Christmas Day 201708:30GMT
  • Christmas Day 201716:30GMT
  • Christmas Day 201722:30GMT