'Play football in the depths of your mind, if only for now'

As part of the BBC's 100 Women series, we asked four women leaders to exchange letters with four women from Afghanistan who share their profession or passion.

Here, soccer star Megan Rapinoe hears from Sahar, a young footballer who has been forced to flee the country. Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August, girls have not been able to play football in the country. We have changed Sahar's name for her safety.

Sahar played for her local football team for three years. When the Taliban seized control earlier this year, she went into hiding with her family, before being flown to a different country.

Dear Megan,

I am an Afghan footballer who has big dreams. When the Taliban came everything stopped because we all knew that the Taliban had not changed and with their return, girls would no longer have their freedoms. I thought about my dreams and said, what is the use of having dreams now that I cannot achieve them?

I love football, it is the best sport in the world and it is my dream to become the best player I can be. Football is not just a sport for me, it is my passion. I have learned a lot about tactics and moves and I got one step closer to my goals. My football family - my friends and teachers - was very big. Playing in a team always makes you improve because you can learn from each other.

When the Taliban took over Kabul, I had to stop playing and I was so sad. Even when I looked at my clothes, sneakers and ball, I would cry. When I saw that boys and girls from other countries play football, I wished that was me. I felt so broken and failed, and life became so painful and hard.

There was always the fear that the Taliban would attack me and my family. Every day and night I was thinking, what will happen tomorrow? Even if I could sleep well tonight, will I wake up? Sometimes we could hear horrifying sounds, gunshots and firing that made us fear for our lives.

We had hard days, until we found out that an organisation was helping footballers to get out of Afghanistan. We waited until they told us 'you have a flight tomorrow'. When we heard the news I was so happy because now I may be able to achieve my dreams. But on the other hand I was sad because I would be separated from my friends and my homeland.

I am worried about women footballers left in Afghanistan. I hope that my sports friends get to go to a safe country and live without fear. The world should know that sports women are left in the country and they are in danger, and they may not have any motivation to continue. Please help them.

I have a lot of hopes and dreams for my future; I want to be a successful footballer, I want to learn more tactics, I want to try hard to reach my goals so that in the future, my family and I will be proud of me.

I want to be successful so that no-one will be able to say that girls cannot play football.

Sahar

Megan Rapinoe led the US team to victory in the 2019 Women's World Cup, scoring some of the biggest goals of the tournament. She is a vocal advocate for equality in soccer.

Dear Sahar,

Growing up, football gave me the freedom to express myself. It gave me the strength and confidence to believe in something that's bigger than me.

One of the things I love most about soccer is that you can be creative - but I know you're only truly creative when you're confident and comfortable in who you are. I want this next generation of players to understand that they don't have to be the next Megan Rapinoe, they need to be the best version of themselves and one of the beautiful things about the game is that great players come in all different shapes, sizes, races and backgrounds.

Watching the fall of Kabul, I was heartbroken for all the people of Afghanistan, but especially for the girls and women who have fought for such progress and had felt that there was so much hope in their future. It was gut-wrenching to see what happened and to know that what was accomplished could be lost in a flash.

If I had to stop playing the game I love, it would feel like losing a part of myself, because so much of your identity and heart is poured into this sport that you love, both as an individual, but also as a teammate and someone who's connected to other women to achieve this common goal. But our mission, our passion and our connection reaches far beyond the lines of a field.

There are no words I can offer that will truly touch what you have felt and experienced, and what the women still in Afghanistan are feeling now. The loss is profound and I ache deeply for each of you. My hope for you is continued passion within yourself and collectively with the women and girls around you. Each of our lives is a story and we want to believe in the possibility of a different story than what we were handed. As Esther Perel says, "Freedom in confinement comes through your imagination."

To all the women who love football but cannot play, I say keep the feeling of connectivity and play alive, if only for now, in the depths of your mind.

You may not be able to see it everyday, but the world of football, especially women's football, is here to support and provide you with strength. You are not alone. Whatever I can do to help you, I want to be there for you.

Don't give up hope and continue to use your passion, your strength, your intelligence and your imagination to keep moving forward. It may look impossible at times, but you have more support than you realise and I hope you can draw strength from that.

Best wishes,

Megan

Produced by Georgina Pearce, Lara Owen, Kawoon Khamoosh, Zuhal Ahad. Edited by Valeria Perasso. Illustrations by Jilla Dastmalchi. Additional visuals by Joy Roxas.

BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. Follow BBC 100 Women on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Join the conversation using #BBC100Women.