Di kontri wey no dey play international football sake of say dia players dey japa

Di dream of Eritrea footballers to reach di 2026 Fifa World Cup don fail before e even start.

Di East African kontri, wey di last time dem play for international match na for January 2020, bin pull out of qualifiers for di finals for Canada, Mexico and di United States one week before dem suppose play dia first game against 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.

Neither di Eritrean National Football Federation (ENFF) nor di kontri goment don comment on di decision, wey don make both players and supporters para.

"I no know why e happun or who dey in charge. E dey clear say dose wey dey at di top no dey take football seriously enough," Eritrea midfielder Mohammed Saeid, wey dey play for one club for Sweden, di kontri wia dem born am, tell BBC Sport Africa.

"I feel so frustrated sake of say plenty players wey get Eritrean backgrounds dey come through now, many of dem dey play around Europe.

"We fit compete if dem give us chance but wen dem see wetin dey happun, dem go really wan represent Eritrea for future?

Afta dem also withdraw from preliminaries for di 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, di latest decision bin raise questions on wetin be di future of di kontri for di game.

Di kontri currently no get world ranking even though dem be member of association of global governing body Fifa.

"Di sudden absence of Eritrea on global stage don leave emptiness wey many of dia fans dey feel," Canada-based fan Aklil Tecleab tell BBC Tigrinya.

"Soccer dey more dan a game; na source of national pride and unity. E dey disheartening to see kontri dey dull di spirit of sports.

"Di lack of communication wit supporters plus di absence of no clear reason only add to di disappointment."

Di worry on top defections

Eritrea bin dey scheduled to play 10 matches ova di course of di next two years afta dem draw alongside Morocco, Zambia, Congo-Brazzaville, Tanzania and Niger for Group E of Africa World Cup qualifiers.

Many pipo believe say di major reason for di withdrawal na sake of say di kontri dey fear say dia local-based players go run once dem reach abroad.

Oppression for house and tense relations wit dia neighbours dey affect Eritrea since dem gain independence from Ethiopia for 1993, and di one-party state get highly-militarised society.

Plenty reports dey on how Eritrean players dey japa wen dey go for international duty.

Botswana bin grant asylum to 10 members of di squad wey play for 2018 World Cup qualifier for di kontri for October 2015, di most recent incident wey involve di men national team happun during one regional championship for Uganda for December 2019, wen seven of di team member miss.

"Defection of players dey occur sake of di political situation for our kontri," one former goment official, tell BBC Sport Africa.

"Dem no get any future and dem no dey live good life for Asmara (di kontri capital city). So, if dem get chance, di best decision na to japa."

One Eritrea fan tok say im understand why players go make dat kain choice as e say dem "no do anytin" to promote football for di kontri.

"E don tey wey di national team bin participate for di main competitions so wen players get chance to go abroad dem no dey like to come back," Million Abraha, wey dey live for Kenya now, tell BBC Tigrinya.

BBC Sport Africa bin contact both di ENFF and Eritrea goment for comment but none of dem respond.

Expanding horizons

Di goment official wey no want make im name dey mentioned believe say di ENFF now dey aim to gada squad of players from di Eritrean diaspora to play for future qualifiers for di continent to prevent di possibility of domestic-based players wey dey japa.

Saeid, wey dey play for Trelleborg for Sweden, bin hope say im international debut for 2019 go be di start of exciting new chapter for im career.

However, e neva add to di only cap e win against Namibia and di first Saeid bin hear about Eritrea withdrawal from World Cup qualifiers bin come on social media.

"I bin think say di match go still go ahead - all of di players bin tink so," di 32-year-old tok.

"I bin dey tell my parents say I go represent Eritrea again and bin dey look forward to am. Den I discover say no game."

Eritreans go always dey ready

Despite di setbacks, Saeid dey hopeful say positive change fit come Eritrean football - and e insist say di appetite still dey among dose wey dey keen to play for dia kontri.

"E need someone to come in and shake tins up," e tok.

"E go dey great to get coach wey fit bring experience and instill some professionalism – pesin wey fit improve tins off di pitch plus coach di players and help dem improve.

"Evri time international window open, we dey wait for news. Plenty opportunities don come and go.

"We don tire for all di wasted time and we wan play; di players go always dey ready to play for Eritrea."

But odas believe notin go improve until di kontri goment revise dia outlook.

"Di political status for our kontri no dey safe," di former Eritrean goment official tok.

"Di geopolitics of our region dey harm di situation. Di main solution be say di peace and stability of di kontri gatz dey sustained first."