♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO INSIDE LOUISVILLE -- WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS HAPPENING IN KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

TODAY WE'RE TALKING PROFESSIONAL SOCCER... LOUISVILLE CITY FOOTBALL CLUB -- YOU PROBABLY KNOW IT BEST AS LOU-CITY -- LAID ROOTS HERE IN 2015 BUT IN 2021, THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S SOCCER LEAGUE BROUGHT THE RACING LOUISVILLE FOOTBALL CLUB HERE... ITS NAME AN HOMAGE TO HORSERACING.

AND SINCE THEN, THEY'VE MADE QUITE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES.

SAVANNAH DEMELO JUST BECAME THE FIRST PLAYER IN THE CLUB'S HISTORY TO PLAY FOR THE U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM...

HERE'S WHAT SHE IS SAYING ABOUT GETTING THE CHANCE TO PLAY IN THE 2023 FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP.

>> I THINK IT'S A LOT OF EMOTIONS.

SUPER HAPPY, SUPER GRATEFUL, SUPER BLESSED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS AND I'M JUST TRYING TO TAKE IT ALL IN.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING.

I THINK GETTING A PLAYER TO GO TO THE GLOBAL STAGE IS ALWAYS HUGE AND I THINK IT JUST BRINGS A LOT OF ATTENTION BACK TO THE CITY.

I THINK THIS PLACE IS SUPER SPECIAL.

HAS GREAT FANS, GREAT STAFF, GREAT PLAYERS, AND I THINK ME GOING TO THE WORLD CUP IS JUST PROVING THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF TALENT HERE.

IT'S NOT JUST ME THAT IS GREAT.

WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER PLAYERS WHO ARE GREAT PLAYERS AND IMPACT US AND THE CITY REALLY WELL.

>> BUT HER STORY ISN'T THE ONLY INCREDIBLE ONE ON THIS TEAM'S ROSTER.

NADIA NADIM IS IN HER THIRD SEASON AS A STRIKER ON THE TEAM.

SHE'S ORIGINALLY FROM AFGHANISTAN, WHERE SHE AND HER FAMILY NARROWLY ESCAPED THE TALIBAN, BUT NOT BEFORE LOSING HER FATHER WHO WAS A GENERAL IN THE AFGHAN ARMY.

HER STORY NOT ONLY SOUNDS LIKE A MOVIE, IT IS A MOVIE.

>> I WANT TO GO BACK.

I KNOW YOU WERE EL THING THE STORIES THAT IT'S DANGEROUS AND THERE IS ATTACK EVERY DAY AND I THINK ALSO THEY WOULD KNOW LIKE SOMEONE LIKE ME IS CONSTITUTIONALLING TO THE COUNTRY ALSO MAYBE I WILL BE A TARGET BECAUSE WHAT I STAND FOR IN TERMS OF THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO WHATEVER... >> NO DOUBTS ABOUT THAT.

I'M SORRY BUT NO DOUBTED ABOUT THAT.

>> I THINK EVERYTHING THAT THEY STAND FOR, I HATED.

I DETEST IT.

IT'S DISGUSTING THAT YOU CANNOT, AS A WOMAN OR BE TREATED LIKE A HUMAN BEING.

SO FOR ME, KNOWING THAT, BUT STILL HAVE THE DESIRE TO WANT TO GO.

WELCOME TO OUR STUDIO, NADIA NADIM.

I CAN HARDLY DECIDE WHERE TO BEGIN.

IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE NORMAL DAILY LIFE.

FELL US WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN AFGHANISTAN AND THEN WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGED.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

SUPER EXCITED.

AS YOU MENTIONED, I WAS BORN IN AFGHANISTAN AND MY DAD WAS IN THE AFGHAN ARMY.

HE WAS A GENERAL.

SO WE DID USEED TO MOVE A LOT BUT WHAT I REMEMBER MOSTLY FROM KABUL, THE CAPITOL OF AFGHANISTAN.

I HAD A NICE UPBRINGING, SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

MY MOM WAS AN INSPECTOR AT SCHOOL.

MY DAD WAS WORKING, DIDN'T SEEM A LOT.

AND SO YEAH, REALLY HAPPY MEMORIES UNTIL THE TALIBAN GAINED POWER AND EVERYTHING CHANGED FOR THE WORST.

MY DAD WAS EXECUTED BECAUSE HE HAD A GENERAL AND HAD A DECENT AMOUNT OF POWER.

BRUTALLY EXECUTED AND MADE IT VERY HARD FOR US TO HAVE NORMAL LIFE, JUST BECAUSE SOME OF THE LAWS THAT THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM.

ONE OF THEM WAS THAT WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO SCHOOL I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I WAS A GIRL AND EVEN GROWING GROCERIES WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

EVERY TIME YOU WENT OUTSIDE THE HOUSE, YOU HAD TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A MALE.

IT WAS MY MOM AND FIVE GIRLS SO WE WERE FIVE SISTERS.

IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A NORMAL DAILY LIFE.

WE TRIED TO STAY LOW PROFILE.

WE USED TO MOVE A LOT TO MAINTAIN A NORMAL ROUTINE.

AT A CERTAIN POINT, MY MOM REALIZED THERE WAS NO FUTURE, THERE WAS NO HOPE.

SHE SOLD EVERYTHING SHE HAD.

OUR HOUSE AND JEWELRY AND FOUND SOMEBODY TO TAKE HER OUT OF THE COUNTRY, HUMAN SMUGGLERS AND I MEAN I WAS AROUND 8, 9 YEARS OLD.

I REMEMBER EVERYTHING QUITE VIVID.

AND I REMEMBER WE HAD TO BE LOW PROFILE.

SOANT DAY GOOD BOY TO ANYONE BECAUSE IF PEOPLE FOUND OUT WERE YOU FLEEING THE COUNTRY OR THE TALIBAN FOUND OUT, YOU WOULD BE IN TROUBLE OR KILLED.

WE WERE PUT IN THESE SMALL MINI VANS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND TRANSPORTED TO THE PAKISTANI BORDER AND IT WAS EASY TO CROSS THE BORDER BECAUSE AFGHAN AND PAKISTAN HAS A HUGE BORDER AND YOU CAN SNEAK IN WITHOUT THEM FINDING OUT AND THEN WE WERE STAYING IN ABAPARTMENT COMPLEX IN KARACHI FOR A MONTH AND A HALF AND WAITING FOR THIS HUMAN SMUGGLER, WHICH IS LIKE A PAKISTANI DUDE WITH MUSTACHE.

I REMEMBER HIM SO WELL.

SHINY HAIR TOO BIG OF A BELLY.

AND HE WOULD COME ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK AND SAY WHAT THE UPDATE WAS ON THE SITUATION.

SO WE WERE BASICALLY WAITING FOR HIM TO FIND A PASSPORT THAT WILL MATCH OUR PROFILES.

AAND PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY ASK WHY NOT TRAVEL WITH THEIR OWN PASSPORT.

WHEN YOU ARE IN A WAR ZONE IN ONE COUNTRY, AIRPORT IS THE FIRST THING SHUT DOWN AND YOUR PASSPORTS ARE NOT REALLY GOING TO HELP YOU ANYWHERE.

SO WE NEEDED TO HAVE A PAKISTANI PASSPORT TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

SO HE WOULD COME EVERY SECOND WEEK AND BE LIKE I HAVE TWO PASSPORTS THAT MATCH, I CAN SEND THEM TO THIS COUNTRY.

AND MY MOM WOULD SAY NO, WE NEED TO STAY TOGETHER.

AND AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF, HE CAME ONE DAY AND SAID THIS IS IT.

I HAVE THE PASSPORTS THAT MATCH YOUR PROFILES.

THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW WE ARE GOING TO FLY OUT.

HE CAME, GAVE US A BUNCH OF PAKISTANI CLOTHES AND TOLD US YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CAUGHT SPEAKING ANY OTHER LANGUAGE BECAUSE IF THEY FIND OUT YOU ARE NOT WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE, YOU ARE GOING TO GET SENT BACK TO AFGHANISTAN, LIKELY GET PRISON OR KILLED.

AND YOUR MONEY IS LOST.

>> AS AWAY EIGHT OR NINE-YEAR-OLD, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED.

>> 100%.

WHEN I SPEAK ABOUT THE TIME AND I TELL THE STORY, IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND LIKE HOW YOUR MIND SET IS GOING TO BE.

BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND I KNOW WE WERE REALLY YOUNG.

MY YOUNGEST SISTERS WERE YOUNGER THAN ME.

I'M THE SECOND OLDEST.

BUT WHEN YOU ARE IN THAT SITUATION, WHERE IT'S ABOUT SURVIVAL, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY SURVIVE, YOU KNOW.

LIKE I KNEW THAT MY MOM DIDN'T HAVE TO COME AND EXPLAIN TO US, LISTEN, I WANT YOU GUYS TO BEHAVE.

THERE WAS NO TIME FOR THAT OR ARE WE GOING TO GO ON A JOURNEY, WE ARE GOING TO TRAVEL.

NO, NOTHING.

WE JUST FOLLOWED ORDERS.

MY MOM WOULD SAY NO ONE SAYS ANYTHING AND WE WOULD NOT TALK FOR DAYS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FEEL THE TENSION IN THE AIR AND YOU KNOW IT'S THE REALITY.

SO WE WANTED TO SOMEHOW END UP IN U.K. BECAUSE WE HAD FAMILY WHO HAD IMMIGRATED AGES AGO AND WE WANTED TO UNITE WITH THEM.

BUT THIS WAS BEFORE 9/11 SO I GUESS A LOT OF THE STORY, LIKE IT KIND OF MAKES SENSE BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, AIRPORT SECURITY WASN'T THAT INTENSE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.

I ASSUME YOU COULD BRIBE PEOPLE AND EASY TO GET THROUGH.

NOWADAYS, NO WAY YOU CAN DO THAT.

SO WE FLEW TO ITALY, IF WE FLEW DIRECTLY TO ENGLAND, THEY WILL KNOW WHERE THE FLIGHT CAME FROM AND THEN JUST SEND YOU BACK RIGHT AWAY.

BUT IF YOU STOP IN ITALY AND THEN WENT THROUGH LIKE CAR OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, SEA, I DON'T KNOW, THEN IT'S HARDER TO TRACK YOU DOWN, I GUESS.

THIS IS MY THEORY LATER ON AS I FOUND OUT.

SO YEAH, WE WERE EAST EUROPEAN GUY WITH LIKE ONE OF THOSE MILITARY PUFFY JACKETS AND JEANS CAME AND PICKED US UP.

WE WAITED FOR A DAY AND A HALF.

AT A CERTAIN POINT THE GUY CAME BACK AND SAID THIS IS IT.

WE HAD A LITTLE SPORTS PACK WITH US.

WE FOLLOWED HIM IN THE CAR.

HE DROVE US TO THIS PARKING AREA WHERE TRUCKS USED TO HAVE A BREAK.

AND HE SAID, WHEN I SAY SO, YOU GUYS RUN THROUGH TO THAT TRUCK AND CLIMB BEHIND IT.

AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW-- I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.

I'M JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS.

AND I FELT MY MOM DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING EITHER.

I DON'T THINK SHE KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE WAY.

BUT YOU ARE SO DESPERATE, AND YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, TO JUST TRUST IN THESE PEOPLE.

AND BECAUSE WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE?

THERE WASN'T ANY.

SO YEAH, SHE GRABBED MY YOUNGEST SISTER AND WE TOOK MY, ME AND MY OLDER SISTER... >> HOW LITTLE IS YOUR YOUNGEST AT THIS POINT?

>> SHE IS LIKE TWO OR LESS THAN TWO.

VERY YOUNG.

AND YEAH, WE ARE FOLLOWING AFTER MY MOM.

SHE CLIMBS UP AND BEHIND THE TRUCK AND IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE MADE A LITTLE SPACE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PASS-- >> LIKE A CARGO TRUCK.

>> LIKE IF THIS IS THE DRIVER AND THIS IS THE CARGO, THIS AREA, A LITTLE SPACE THEY'VE MADE.

AND YEAH, WE WERE GIVEN LIKE TWO BOTTLES OF WATER AND THAT'S IT.

YOU SIT THERE AND AGAIN, SAME DIRECTIONS, OR INSTRUCTIONS DON'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE IF YOU GET CAUGHT, THAT'S ON YOU.

WE WERE SITTING THERE FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.

WE WERE AROUND MY MOM.

IT WAS A HORRIBLE SITUATION AND DARK AND SCARY, BUT I WAS STILL CONTENT THAT WE WERE STILL TOGETHER AND MY MOM WAS THERE.

I KNEW THAT MY MOM, AS LONG AS SHE WAS THERE, WE WOULD BE FINE.

SO, YEAH, AND THEN I DON'T KNOW.

AFTER A CERTAIN POINT, YOU LOSE YOU KNOW, TIME OR YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.

JUST LIKE WHATEVER.

AND THEN THE TRUCK KIND OF STOPS YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FEEL THE SWINGS AND HE STOPS AND WE ARE TOLD TO GET OUT.

AND YEAH, WE WERE OUT AND HE DRIVES OFF.

>> AND WHERE ARE YOU?

>> I KNOW.

I THOUGHT WE WERE IN U.K. OR IN ENGLAND.

AND I WAS LIKE, I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BIGGER.

YOU ALWAYS HEAR STUFF.

I KNEW ABOUT ENGLAND, GERMANY, NORWAY, NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT DENMARK.

BUT AT THAT POINT, THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK OF WAS THAT I WAS STARVING.

I NEED SOME FOOD.

AND AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO WANDERING AROUND, MY MOM FOUND AN ELDERLY MAN GOING ON A WALK WITH HIS DOG AND SHE ASKED WHERE WE WERE AND HE EXPLAINED WE WERE IN DENMARK.

>> SHE DIDN'T KNOW.

>> SHE WAS CONFUSED AS WELL.

AT THAT POINT IT DIDN'T MATTER.

WE WERE TOGETHER AND IT SEEMED TO BE A SAFER SITUATION.

WE GO AND THIS POLICE OFFICER, MY MOM SAID SHE IS SEEKING POLITICAL ASYLUM.

SHE GOES IN.

SHE DOES LIKE AN HOUR INTERVIEW WHERE SHE EXPLAINS WHO SHE IS AND WE WERE JUST SITTING ON THE CHAIRS AND WAITING FOR THEM TO COME BACK AND HE COMES BACK AND LOOKS AT US AND SAYS-- LIKE HUNGRY?

I MEAN I DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH OR ANYTHING ELSE BUT THAT'S THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE FOR FOOD.

AND I WAS LIKE YES.

AND HE DID ONE OF THE KINDEST THINGS ANY HUMAN BEING HAS EVER DONE FOR ME.

HE TOOK US TO HIS POLICE CAR TO A KIOSK WHERE HE BOUGHT BA BAN AAND TOAST AND I THINK IT WAS MILL IT AND PROBABLY BETWEEN KORONA WHICH IS $3 MAXIMUM OR EVEN LESS.

BUT I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS SUCH A NICE GESTURE AND HE SAW US AS HUMAN BEINGS HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON THE PERSON I AM TODAY AND THE THINGS I WANT TO DO FOR OTHERS.

AND AFTER THAT, WE WERE SET ON A TRAIN AND TRANSPORTED TO, I GUESS LIKE THE FIRST CENTER THAT YOU ARRIVE IN IS LIKE AN IMMIGRATION CENTER/PRISON WITH FENCES AND GUARDS.

YOU CANNOT GO OUT AND IN.

ALL TYPES OF CRAZY PEOPLE WERE THERE.

AND WE WERE THERE FOR I GUESS A MONTH OR A BIT MORE.

I DON'T REMEMBER, UNTIL THEY GO THROUGH ALL THE CHECKUPS AND THEN YOU ARE SENT TO A REFUGEE CAMP.

LUCKILY FOR ME, THE REFUGEE CAMP WAS NEXT TO THIS AMAZING FUTBOL FIELDS AND WE USED TO LANGUAGE SCHOOL, I GUESS TRYING TO LEARN DANISH FROM 9-1 AND AFTER THAT WE WERE FREE.

AND FOR ME AS A KID, YOU GO FROM BEING ALMOST IN A PRISON FOR ALMOST MORE THAN TWO YEARS WHERE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO GO OUTSIDE, I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DO ANYTHING, TO SUDDENLY HAVE A FREEDOM WHERE I CAN BE WHATEVER I WANT TO BE AND DO WHATEVER I WANT TO DO.

ME AND MY YOUNGER SISTER USED TO GO AND DISCOVER WHAT WAS AROUND US, WHERE WE WERE AND QUICKLY WE DISCOVERED THE FIELDS.

THE ONLY THING DIVIDING US AND THE FIELDS WERE LIKE A FENCE AND SOME LIKE WOOD OR SMALL FOREST, I GUESS.

SO WE USED TO HANG OUT BEHIND THE FENCE AND WATCH THE KIDS PLAY FUTBOL AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I SAW GIRLS PLAYING FUTBOL AND, YEAH,.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK THEN?

>> IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW.

IT WAS LIKE A SPARK, YOU FELT SOMETHING AND A RUSH WENT THROUGH ME.

AND I EXPLAIN IT ANGELS CAME DOWN AND STARTED PLAYING THE VIOLIN AND THE LIGHT HIT ME, THAT MOMENT.

AND YEAH, I KNEW THAT I WANT TO BE THAT PERSON, SEEING THOSE GIRLS PLAYING SO FREELY AND THEY SEEMED HAPPY.

AND I WANTED TO BE HAPPY.

I WANTED TO BE FREE, I GUESS.

YEAH, THAT LOVE BECAME OBSESSION I WAS OBSESSED IN GETTING BETTER.

KNOWING HOW TO DO THINGS.

WE TRAINED FOR LIKE-- WE USED TO JUST PLAY AROUND.

WE HAD LIKE A DODGE BALL AND EVERYBODY WOULD PLAY AGAINST EVERYONE.

AND AFTER, I WOULD SAY,-- SO WE WENT FROM STANDING OUTSIDE THE FENCES TO SOMETIMES WHETHER THEY HAD SHOOTING DRILLS, I USED TO RUN AND THE BALLS HIT OVER, WE USED TO BRING THEM BACK THE BALLS.

SO WE WITH TIME WE GOT MORE AND MORE COURAGE TO GET CLOSER.

AND ONE DAY I THINK IT WAS LIKE THREE MONTHS IN OR SOMETHING, I THOUGHT I REALLY WANT TO BE ON THE TEAM.

SO I WENT AND I WENT AND ASKED THE COACH, AND I SAID CAN I PLAY?

AND HE SAID YES.

>> WOW.

>> I KNOW.

THE REASON I LOVE THIS GAME.

IN SPORTS, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE.

IF YOU SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, HOW YOU LOOK.

ON THE FIELD YOU ARE PART OF A FAMILY AND I REMEMBER FEELING LIKE FIRST I WAS IN SHOCK.

AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS HE CAME WITH A NOTE IT SAID SATURDAY 12 P.M.

HERE AT THE CLUB.

SATURDAY YOU HAVE A GAME.

PLAYING PROFESSIONAL SOCCER WAS NOT REALLY AN END GOAL FOR YOU THOUGH.

HOW DID YOU END UP HERE THEN?

>> I NEVER KNEW-- I MEAN I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE WOMEN'S SPORTS WAS SOMETHING UNTIL I SAW IT FIRST BUT THEN I NEVER THOUGHT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE OFF THIS.

I USED TO PLAY.

I STILL DO BECAUSE I LOVE IT.

IT MAKES ME HAPPY.

AND THEN WHEN I WAS AROUND 14, 15 YEARS OLD, I WAS IN THE YOUTH NATIONAL TEAMS REGIONAL TEAMS SO WE WERE AT THIS REGIONAL TOURNAMENT AND I DO REALLY REALLY WELL AND SCORE A LOT OF GOALS AND GO TO THE FINAL BUT LOSE THE FINAL AND I'M LIKE ALL STAR TEAM TOP SCORE BUT VERY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE WE LOST THE FINAL.

AND HE COMES TO ME AND HE WHISPERS IN MY EAR, HE SAYS IN DANISH, HE SAYS.

(SPEAKING DANISH) AT FIRST I'LL CONFUSED WHAT HE SAID BUT THEN I REALIZED HE SAID YOU ARE A HELL OF A PLAYER.

SO AT THAT POINT, I'M LIKE OKAY, THE NATIONAL TEAM, YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM COACH KNOWS WHO I AM AND MY NAME IS POPPING UP LIKE IN NEWS, SMALL NEWSPAPER CLIP FOR FIRST AND THEN MY PICTURE AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

NADIM, AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

MAYBE I'M GOOD ENOUGH TO LIKE PLAY AT HIGHER LEVEL.

>> WHEN DID YOU FINE?

>> I SIGNED WITH LOUISVILLE IN 2021 AT THE END OF THE SUMMER THE REASON I WANTED TO COME BACK TO THE U.S., I PLAYED A YEAR IN NEW JERSEY AND THEN WORKED TWO YEARS IN PORTLAND THORNS WHERE WE WON THE LEAGUE AND I WANTED TO GO BACK TO EUROPE BECAUSE TO FAMILY AND, YOU KNOW, PLAY.

THIS BEING AND IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST LEAGUES IN THE WORLD JUST BECAUSE IT IS SO COMPETITIVE AND EVERY TEAM CAN BEAT ANY TEAM ON A GIVEN DAY.

SO I WANTED TO BE IN GREAT SHAPE AND I WANTED TO BE CHALLENGED.

I LOVE CHALLENGES!

I GET BORED WHEN IT'S THE SAME THING AND IT'S TOO EASY BECAUSE I WANTED TO PUSH MY BOUNDARIES AND I WANT TO PUSH MY COMFORT ZONE.

SO WHEN THE TEAM WAS CREATED, ESTABLISHED HERE IN LOUISVILLE, I WAS ASKED IF I WANTED TO BE A PART OF, YOU KNOW, A WINNING CULTURE OR BUILD A WINNING TEAM AND KIND OF, I GUESS INTRODUCE FUTURE FUTBOL TO LOUISVILLE AND KENTUCKY.

I LOVED THE CHALLENGE.

WHY NOT.

I LOVE TO.

WE WON THE LEAGUE AND I WANTED SOMETHING NEW AND TRIED SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I CAME HERE AND I HAVE BEEN LOVING IT.

THE CITY, THE PEOPLE, THE FANS HAVE TREATED ME VERY KINDLY.

I LOVE THE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S SO DIFFERENT FROM EVERYWHERE I HAVE LIVED.

I THINK PEOPLE HERE, THEY COME ACROSS VERY GENUINE AND REALLY NICE AND THE PLACE I FEEL HOME IS THE PLACE WHERE I FEEL THAT KIND OF LOVE, I DON'T KNOW.

IT FEELS HOMELY FOR ME.

>> WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHT OF LOUISVILLE OR KENTUCKY IN GENERAL BEFORE YOU CAME HERE?

DID YOU HAVE ANY PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS OR ANY EXPECTATIONS?

>> I KNEW KENTUCKY, THE ONLY THING KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN AND MUHAMMED ALI.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING I KNEW.

BUT OTHERWISE NOT A LOT.

I JUST KNEW THAT THE PEOPLE WITH THE TEAM, THEY HAD THESE AMBITIONS THAT WILL MATCH MINE, LIKE GOALS AND AMBITIONS I THOUGHT WAS PRETTY COOL.

AND WE WANT TO BUILD LIKE A POWER HOUSE AND WOMEN'S FUTBOL AND FOR ME, AGAIN, I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE THE UNDERDOG BUT GOING TO FIGHT YOUR WAY TO THE TOP.

IT MATCHES MY MENTALITY AND AMBITIONS.

AND IT FEELS BETTER THAN WHEN THINGS ARE GIVEN TO YOU EASILY.

I CAN CHOOSE TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT THIS HARD TO ACHIEVE SOME OF YOUR GOALS BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE TASTE OF THAT GOAL IS NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME IF YOU HAVE LIKE FOUGHT FOR IT AND STRUGGLED THROUGH IT AND THEN YOU STILL OVERCOMIT.

>> YOUR STORY IS JUST LITTERED WITH PEOPLE WHO SHOWED YOU KINDNESS AND HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY.

AND NOW YOU HAVE REALLY REACHED OUT TO TRY TO HELP PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY KIDS, REFUGEES HERE IN LOUISVILLE.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH, I MEAN AS YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED NCHTS-- WE ALL, A CERTAIN POINT, EVERY HUMAN BEING IS GOING TO BE IN A SPOT WHERE WE STRUGGLE AND IF YOU SHOW KINDNESS TO A PEOPLE THAT IS HOW YOU DEFINE HUMANITY.

IF YOU SEE UGLY HUMAN BEING FALLING IN FRONT OF YOU, YOUR FIRST INSTINCT IS TO HELP THE PERSON UP GLEN.

THIS IS HOW I SEE IT IN GENERAL.

SIBS I HAVE BEEN YOUNG, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO A LOT OF VOLUNTEER WORK WHERE I WANT TO HAVE IMPACT AND I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO RECEIVE THAT HELP.

I'M ALSO, YOU KNOW, I'M AN AMBASSADOR FOR GIRS EDUCATION AND I'VE DONE A LOT OF TRIPS IN MY VACATIONS TO AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST.

SO WHEN I CAME HERE AND FIGURES OUT A NEW CAMERA ACADEMY WHERE KIDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO STAY IN KENTUCKY AND THEN THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE, IT REMINDS ME OF MY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IN MY CAMP, A LOT OF OTHER KIDS FROM DENMARK USED TO COME TO LEARN DANISH.

SO SOMETHING THAT I COULD RELATE TO AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A NICE WAY TO INTERACT WITH THEM AND TELL THEM THAT HEY, I REALLY KNOW HOW YOU GUYS ARE FEELING.

I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY TO BE, YOU KNOW, STARTING FROM SCRATCH, FROM ZERO.

EVERYTHING THAT YOU KNOW HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU.

YOU ALMOST LOST YOUR IDENTITY, YOU HAVE TO REBUILD THIS FROM ZERO.

AND YOU ARE SO FAR AWAY FROM LIKE YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR FRIENDS ON THE SAME AGE, EAX ACTUALLY.

BUT EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING, HAVE YOU TO REMEMBER THAT IT'S POSSIBLE BECAUSE I DID IT.

IF I DID IT, YOU CAN DO IT, TOO.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I HAD ASKED YOU EARLIER WAS IF YOU DIDN'T PLAY SOCCER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

AND BY THE WAY, SHE'S A DOCTOR.

>> CALL ME Dr. NADIA.

>> Dr. NADIA.

SO WE WENT TO MED SCHOOL IN YOUR SPARE TIME, RIGHT?

>> IT'S BECAUSE MY MOM, BLESS HER, SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY HIGH ON EDUCATION AND SHE TOLD US THIS IS YOUR WEAPON TO GET OUT OF ANY SITUATION THAT YOU HAVE.

AND YOU UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND YOU IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A VOICE SO YOU NEED TO HAVE EDUCATION.

I APPLIED MED SCHOOL.

GOT IN, DIDN'T TELL MY FAMILY THE FIRST TWO WEEKS.

TOLD THEM I WAS IN BUSINESS SCHOOL.

ONCE I TOLD MY MOM, SHE WAS OVER THE MOON AND SINCE MY FIRST SEMESTER, I HAVE LOVED IT.

I LOVE BEING AT A HOSPITAL.

IT GIVES ME LIKE THIS JOY.

ALMOST BEING IN AN OPERATION ROOM FEELS LIKE WHEN I SCORE A GOAL.

SO ME STANDING, YOU KNOW, ASSISTING OPERATION BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD THE LEAD YET BECAUSE I'M STILL, YOU KNOW, YOUNG DOCTOR.

THEY WOULDN'T LET ME.

BUT ASSIST IN OPERATION, IT FEELS-- YOU FEEL THE SAME EXCITEMENT, SAME EMOTIONS WHEN I SCORE A GOAL.

AND, YEAH, I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES AND ONCE I'M DONE WITH FUTBOL, I WOULD LOVE TO BE PLACES LIKE DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS WHERE YOU ARE THE LAST PERSON STANDING WHERE SOMEONE IS REALLY IN NEED AND YOU SAY, SAY NO MORE, I GOT YOU.

I LOVE THAT, I GUESS RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PRESSURE OF THE SITUATION.

AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE POWER IT GIVES TO YOU HAVE AN IMPACT ON OTHER PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY NEED IT.

>> IT IS AN INCREDIBLE STORY.

YOU CAN SEE OUR EXTENDED INTERVIEW WITH NADIA NADIM ONLINE AT THE ket.org/INSIDE LOUISVILLE AND DON'T FOREGOAT FOLLOW OWS INSTAGRAM @KETINLOUWHAT AN THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US TODAY.

WE HOPE YOU MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.