Syrian female goalkeeper from Qamishli pursues regional dreams
Medya Hussein, goalkeeper for the Syrian women’s national team, stands in a football field in the city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria. – North Press
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On a football field in the city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Medya Hussein, stands alongside two of her teammates, following training drills and repeating exercises with full concentration, driven by a dream that extends beyond the boundaries of the pitch — a dream of seeing her name and Syrian women’s football represented at regional and international competitions.
Medya, who is from the al-Gharbi neighborhood of Qamishli and was born in 2011, is a high school student who has managed in just a few years to establish herself in the world of football after choosing a position that requires great courage and confidence, a goalkeeper.
Today, she holds the title of Best Goalkeeper at the West Asia Championship and represents the Syrian women’s national team while also defending the colors of Al-Hilal Club.
Medya continues her training in preparation for the upcoming qualifiers in Malaysia, where the Syrian national team is set to face India, Iraq and Malaysia in a new challenge through which she aims to prove her abilities and achieve results that add to her sporting career.
Medya told North Press that her recent participation with the Syrian national team in the West Asia Championship was an experience filled with challenges, explaining that the preparation period was not long, lasting only three months, but included intensive training and significant pressure to reach the required level of readiness.
“Despite that, we did not lose a single match and won the championship. I was awarded the title of Best Goalkeeper,” she said, adding it is an achievement she is very proud of and it motivates her to continue.
Medya is preparing to return to training camps in the coming period, viewing the upcoming qualifiers as a new opportunity to work and develop. She stressed that the road ahead remains long and that her ambitions do not stop at a single achievement.
Family planted the dream early
Medya’s relationship with football was not a recent development. She grew up in a family where sports were an essential part of life. Her father was a player and coach at Jihad Club, her mother played and coached, her brother had experience in table tennis, and her sister was also a football player.
This sporting environment provided Medya with encouragement and support and helped shape her passion for football from an early age. She officially began her journey in 2022 with Jihad Club before moving to Peyman Club and later starting a new experience with Al-Hilal Club as a goalkeeper.
Throughout her club career, she has won championships at the Syrian and local levels in the youth and junior categories, earned the Best Goalkeeper award on several occasions, and secured first-place finishes with her teams.
Ambition rises beyond limited resources
Despite her achievements, Medya understands that women’s football still faces many difficulties, particularly regarding support and attention. However, she says these challenges will not stop players who are determined to prove themselves.
She says female players need more support and opportunities to improve their level and achieve better results, noting that persistence and hard work are the path toward success and giving women’s sports a stronger voice.
Between her studies and training, Medya continues her journey with determination, setting a clear goal for herself: improving her skills, gaining new experiences, and achieving greater accomplishments with the Syrian national team.
Her story serves as an example of how ambition can begin on a small field and grow until it reaches competitive stages.