Ayham seeks SAFF gold to repay wife's sacrifice

Ahmed Ayham (Ayhu), a 29-year-old defender for the Maldives national football team, has dedicated his efforts in the upcoming SAFF Championship to repaying the sacrifice of his wife, who urged him to join the national team camp just three days after the birth of their second child. Ayham, who currently plays for Odd Sports Club, missed the team's training camp in Indonesia from June 26 to July 2 because it coincided with the birth of his second child. He explained to PSM News that his wife, Sama Mujtaba, who gave birth via caesarean section under difficult circumstances, insisted that he fulfill his national duty. "I remember it was three days since the baby was born. I also thought about not going. However, my wife said that he must go. Playing for the national team is a national duty. It is a service rendered to the country. Therefore, he must definitely go. Since the grandparents were also nearby, and my wife was so supportive, I made this decision," Ayham said. In return for his wife's sacrifice, Ayham aims to win the SAFF trophy and bring it home to the Maldives. He described the tournament as special for two reasons: it is his first SAFF Championship, and he wants to win the trophy for his two future children and all Maldivians. Ayham began playing football in 2015 and started his senior career in 2016 with TC Sports Club, later playing for Super United Sports (SUS) before joining Odd. After nearly nine years in the Maldives Premier Division, he made his national team debut last year. The Maldives' first match of the SAFF Championship is against Pakistan on July 8, with the group stage final match against India on July 11.