Real Kashmir FC player Kashif Siddiqi was asked to give up his British citizenship to play for India

Real Kashmir FC player Kashif Siddiqi was asked to give up his British citizenship to play for India

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BBC

Real Kashmir FC new recruit, former Pakistani international Kashif Siddiqi admitted that he refused to play for India as they wanted him to give up his British citizenship. The co-founder of the 'Football for Peace', has been loaned to the Indian club from English side Oxford United FC.

Kashif was born in England to a Ugandan mother and an Indian father who hails from Lucknow.  Having played his youth football for Arsenal, the defender subsequently played for clubs in the United States of America, the UAE and England. He was all praise for his former club after he penned down the contract for the “snow leopards.”

“I can't thank them (Oxford) enough and I feel fit and ready to go out on loan to Real Kashmir, which will happen soon after I get back from America,” said Kashif as reported by Indian Express.

The Brit made his international debut for the Pakistan U-23 team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic qualifiers and played for the senior team at the 2008 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship in Maldives. In fact, a few years ago, he was also approached by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to play for them but he refused the proposal as he did not want to give up his British citizenship and instead accepted Pakistan’s offer.

“Indian side wanted me to give up my British citizenship and I did not want that as my mother had struggled so hard for that. This citizenship means my mother’s blessing to me,” said the footballer.

Kashif will be joining the Kashmiri side as the second foreign recruit this season after Kallum Higginbotham signed for them earlier. 

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