Sporting London FC, the UK team coached by former Maldives Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed, has earned a historic win at the Wimbledon and District Centenary B Cup.
Sporting London won against Raynes Park United Churches FC in the finals with 1-0 score. The game’s only goal was scored during the final minutes of the first half.
Waheed took over as the team’s coach in 2021, and this marks their first official tournament win. Under Waheed's guidance, the team had previously won silver medals in two district-level tournaments, including last year's District League.
Sporting London has completed the Wimbledon and District Football League without any losses, making it the only team with a perfect record since the league started in September 2022.
"I thank God, and I thank everyone who supported and prayed for this win. This shows that we Maldivians can succeed," Waheed said in a tweet.
Waheed, who moved to the UK after facing sexual harassment allegations during his tenure as the Minister of Tourism, is a avid football enthusiast. In the sports community, he is known as "Ballack," and he had previously coached the popular Maldivian football club, New Radiant Sports Club, before entering politics.
During his political career, Waheed served as the manager of the Maldives national football team, as well as filling a four-year term as the chairman of New Radiant.
Waheed acquired his FA Coaching license while living in the UK during the presidency of Abdulla Yameen. He self-exiled to the UK as a "political offender" during the former president's administration.
Waheed has achieved two of the five English Football Coaching levels, and is currently working towards acquiring a UEFA B License.
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