‘We can be one of the best in Asia’: Layla Banaras sets ambitious target for Pakistan

Pakistan women’s football star Layla Banaras has expressed strong belief in the national team’s potential, stating that with consistent opportunities and development, Pakistan can emerge as one of the top sides in Asia.

Speaking to Nukta in an exclusive interview, Banaras credited her upbringing and environment for shaping her passion.

“I think my interest sort of came from my surroundings, so at home my dad always used to have football or sport on the TV, my brother used to play football, my cousins used to play football, so we used to play in the garden together,” she said.

The young footballer emphasized the importance of regular international exposure, highlighting how increased match experience could accelerate the team’s growth.

“I think it'll be so beneficial getting more games than we do now, it would just help us continue to improve and climb up the rankings, Inshallah,” she noted.

Banaras pointed to the team’s recent progress in competitions such as the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and the ongoing FIFA Series, underlining how quickly the squad has developed.

“The more games we can play, the more we can connect together and our chemistry can just grow even more, because you've seen what we can do in such a short amount of time,” she said.

Pakistan made a great to their FIFA Series campaign with a record-breaking 8-0 victory over the Turks and Caicos Islands, where Layla scored a brace, at the Stade Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan but lost to Mauritania 1-0 in their second match. Pakistan will play hosts Côte d’Ivoire in their final match today.

“The national team has helped me so much, playing international football is just a dream, so being able to represent Pakistan means everything to me… but I try and just keep my head focused on football and not let the outside noise really affect me at all,” Banaras added.

Looking ahead, she made her ambitions clear: “Inshallah, definitely, I think we've got the ability and if we keep playing, we keep having camps, I think we can only grow and we can be one of the best in Asia.”

Banaras also shared her footballing inspirations, naming Lionel Messi as her favorite player.

“Favorite footballer is Messi, best player in the world,” she said, adding that she supports FC Barcelona due to both Messi and her admiration for Spanish football’s style.