Syrian goalkeeper seeks asylum in Netherlands, offered training spot with AFC

Tarek Karboutli, former goalkeeper of the national team of Syria, fled war in his country and applied for asylum in the Netherlands. Football team AFC immediately invited him to train with them, AT5 reports.

Karboutli is very happy with the invitation. "I hoped to get a chance with AFC. Now or in the future. But I'm very happy with the opportunity and I'm going to grab it with both hands", he said to the broadcaster. "And then you come to a club, where coaches and players are glad you're there. Everyone talks well of you, also to the people around them. I am very happy."

AFC board member Bob Duis met Karboutli in the tribunes at Ajax. He immediately offered him a place with AFC. But that does not automatically mean that he will have a place on the AFC team. "He was a very good keeper in Syria, but that doesn't mean that he will be on the field next week", Duis said to the Amsterdam broadcaster. "We simply want to give him a chance, because if you talk to him you immediately want to help him."

According to the goalkeeper, starting again is very hard, but AFC's support is making it easier.