Shehzad to evaluate footballers during National Games

LAHORE: Pakistan men’s football team head coach Shehzad Anwar will evaluate the performance of the country’s key footballers during the 34th National Games football event which will be held at the Ayub Stadium, Quetta, from May 13-19.

He will evaluate the performance of those players specifically who have been part of the national team which is set to feature in major events this year.

“Yes I will evaluate the performance of the players during the Games, especially of those who are in Pakistan team and on whom we already have started working to prepare them for the national duty,” Shehzad told ‘The News’ here on Thursday. Football teams will move to Quetta on May 11 and on May 12 the managers meeting will be held. The event will formally kick-off on May 13.

“I also will scout some youngsters and we will also use them in future,” Shehzad said. Following years of inactivity Pakistan team is in the rebuilding phase. It played a couple of international friendlies during the last few months after FIFA lifted sanctions last year.

Pakistan is expected to tour Saudi Arabia in June and is also expected to play friendlies within FIFA window the same month before moving to Bengaluru, India, to feature in the SAFF Cup which will be held from June 21 to July 3.

In October, Pakistan will feature in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers which will be the hardest challenge for a nation whose football suffered massively for over seven years due to infighting among various factions.