PLAYERS from 20 different countries laced their boots for a football contest with a difference.
While the World Cup plays out in Russia, Scotland staged an international competition of its own yesterday as the Refugee Festival 2018 Football Tournament was held in Glasgow.
A total of 20 teams turned out made up of refugees and asylum seekers from nations including Syria, Congo, Zambia, Nepal and Libya.
They were joined by a team of MPs, MSPs and councillors, one of whom – Inverclyde’s Ronnie Cowan – needed the magic sponge for skint knees.
Attended by Nicola Sturgeon, the contest was organised by Glasgow Afghan United and the Scottish Unity Football League and won by multi-ethnic Southside United. Event leader Abdul Bostani said it was designed to “ use football as a means of promoting anti-discrimination”.
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