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As captain of the Afghan women's national football team, Khalida Popal has faced more than her share of difficulties in her pursuit of the beautiful game.

She has been publicly reviled for her determination to play and exposed to the very real threat of reprisals from the Taliban.

But three times a week she and her teammates ignore insults in the street as they go to practice.

The only place they can play safely is inside the international military compound in Kabul.

Afghanistan's first female clubs were set up in 2004, and in 2006 a national team was formed.

Since then Khalida has become team captain, as well as the head of the country's women's football committee.

But it has been a long hard struggle.

Her mother - who was also her sports teacher at school - supported her, but her father and brothers did not want her to play.

Many people in Afghanistan believe it is shameful for women to play any sports.

One day her father told her that she had to stop.

Khalida was in such despair she tried to kill herself with an overdose of medicines.

She survived and her father accepted how important the sport was to her and allowed her to carry on.

So far the team has only been able to play friendly matches, but next week Khalida and her squad are travelling to Bangladesh for their first ever international tournament.