{"id":9061,"date":"2025-10-28T12:25:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T12:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T12:25:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T12:25:00","slug":"exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules &#8211; one goal at a time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.asianexpress.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-1024x710.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52766\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><em>\u201cIf I gave up &#8211; if other Muslim girls gave up &#8211; then attitudes would never change. We all need to be strong and show we\u2019re worthy of what we\u2019re doing.\u201d &#8211; Aqsa Mushtaq<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Aqsa Mushtaq first kicked a ball around the streets of Bradford, she wasn\u2019t chasing fame or medals &#8211; just the simple joy of football. \u201cI don\u2019t even remember how it started,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo one in my family played sports, but I was always outside with a ball at my feet. Whether I was alone or with other kids, I just wanted to play. I don\u2019t remember a time when football wasn\u2019t on my mind 24\/7.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That early passion became the heartbeat of a remarkable journey that\u2019s taken her from grassroots pitches in West Yorkshire to professional leagues across the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this year, she was awarded with the \u2018Sport Champion of the Year\u2019 title at the BPA Empowering Women Awards 2025 (#BPAEW2025), a recognition that celebrated not only her athletic achievements but her role as a trailblazer for young women across Yorkshire and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aqsa Mushtaq is now playing in Turkey\u2019s First Division &#8211; a new country, a new challenge, and another step forward in a career that has already broken boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s exciting,\u201d she says. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m focused on implementing myself and becoming one of the best in the Turkish league.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Her rise hasn\u2019t been smooth or predictable; it\u2019s been carved through resilience, faith, and a quiet defiance of expectations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.asianexpress.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/aqsa-_mushtaq_aq-c22db0bc-6acc-45f9-bd02-7f1df7ea9783_25-1024x682.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52764\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aqsa\u2019s early years were spent juggling school, family life, and football in an environment where girls &#8211; especially Pakistani and Muslim girls &#8211; weren\u2019t encouraged to take sport seriously.<br>\u201cBeing a girl playing football wasn\u2019t the norm,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou\u2019d get told you\u2019re not good enough, too weak, or not as quick, just because you were female. But I knew my ability. Once I showed what I was made of, people started to see it too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She began at the Bradford Centre of Excellence before moving to Leeds, then played for Idle Juniors with her best friend. At 16, she joined Bradford City Women &#8211; then a third-division club &#8211; and from there her career gathered pace. Four years in America transformed her both as a person and a player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAmerica changed me,\u201d she reflects. \u201cIt was the first time I had to be fully independent without my family\u2019s help. It showed me who I was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the US college system, Aqsa\u2019s talent carried her to Italy, where she turned professional.<br>\u201cThere\u2019s nothing like walking into a changing room and seeing your shirt with your name on the back,\u201d she smiles. \u201cIt\u2019s a dream you have all your life &#8211; and when it happens, it\u2019s surreal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One game she\u2019ll never forget was an away match against Wingate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy team hadn\u2019t beaten them there since 1998,\u201d she recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was 0-0 after 90 minutes, and I scored in extra time after going past three players and putting it in the top corner. The celebrations after that\u2026 I\u2019ll never forget them. The week after, I felt like a celebrity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aqsa\u2019s favourite position is right wing. \u201cI\u2019m left-footed, so taking a player on one-on-one, cutting inside and scoring top corner &#8211; that feeling never gets old.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.asianexpress.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/aqsa-mushtaq-BPAEW-2025-IMG_0598_25-1024x682.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52765\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Asqa wins the \u2018Sport Champion of the Year 2025\u2019 award at the BPA Empowering Women Awards 2025 (#BPAEW2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Success hasn\u2019t insulated her from prejudice. \u201cIt\u2019s still not normal for a Muslim woman to play football,\u201d she admits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEven family members questioned why I was still playing. When I\u2019m training alone back home in Bradford, I still get nervous walking onto a field because I don\u2019t want people judging me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But she\u2019s determined to challenge those perceptions. \u201cYou deal with it by proving people wrong. If I gave up &#8211; if other Muslim girls gave up &#8211; then attitudes would never change.<br>\u201cWe all need to be strong and show we\u2019re worthy of what we\u2019re doing. Slowly but surely, we\u2019ll see success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That impact is already visible. \u201cPeople come up to me and thank me,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey tell me that my story helped them keep playing. I get messages online from girls who say they can relate to me. It feels amazing to know that my journey can inspire others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Professional football is far from glamorous behind the scenes. Aqsa\u2019s schedule is relentless: double training sessions, gym work, tactical drills, and just one day off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPre-season is brutal &#8211; your body\u2019s crying out, but you just have to push yourself,\u201d she says.<br>Her mental resilience keeps her grounded through defeats, injuries, and homesickness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou have to focus on the small positives. When things don\u2019t go your way, it\u2019s easy to spiral &#8211; but my family always help me see things in perspective. Losing a game isn\u2019t the end of the world. Injuries heal. What matters is staying focused on the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Discipline, she admits, doesn\u2019t come easy. \u201cThere\u2019s no secret &#8211; it\u2019s all mindset. I take a couple of weeks off at the end of the season to reset. The off-season is where you can really get ahead. I ask myself: do I want to be better than the rest from day one?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, Aqsa is embracing a new chapter in Turkey\u2019s First Division &#8211; another country, another culture, and another opportunity to grow. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRight now, I\u2019m focused on implementing myself and becoming one of the best in the Turkish league.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond her playing career, she already knows what\u2019s next. \u201cI want to go into coaching,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve had great coaches and bad ones &#8211; and people don\u2019t realise how much impact a bad coach can have. I want to be the kind of coach who pushes players forward, who helps them believe in themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the young girls of Bradford watching Aqsa\u2019s journey unfold, she\u2019s more than a footballer &#8211; she\u2019s a mirror reflecting what\u2019s possible. \u201cI hope my story shows that no dream is too far-fetched,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhether it\u2019s football, business, or anything else &#8211; if you love it and work hard, you can do it. You just have to take that first step &#8211; and believe you belong.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cIf I gave up &#8211; if other Muslim girls gave up &#8211; then attitudes would never change. We all need to be strong and show we\u2019re worthy of what we\u2019re doing.\u201d &#8211; Aqsa Mushtaq When Aqsa Mushtaq first kicked a ball around the streets of Bradford, she wasn\u2019t chasing fame or medals &#8211; just the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[4796,75,4250,4811,153,4812,4813,86],"class_list":["post-9061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sport","tag-aqsa-mushtaq","tag-bradford","tag-business-power-awards","tag-female-pakistani-football-player","tag-leeds","tag-pakistani-professional-footballers","tag-sport-champion-of-the-year","tag-yorkshire"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules - one goal at a time - Asian News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules - one goal at a time - Asian News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cIf I gave up &#8211; if other Muslim girls gave up &#8211; then attitudes would never change. We all need to be strong and show we\u2019re worthy of what we\u2019re doing.\u201d &#8211; Aqsa Mushtaq When Aqsa Mushtaq first kicked a ball around the streets of Bradford, she wasn\u2019t chasing fame or medals &#8211; just the [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Asian News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-28T12:25:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1110\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andleeb Hanif\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andleeb Hanif\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Andleeb Hanif\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2149f0ecde4738e00de4b0c33908acb0\"},\"headline\":\"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules &#8211; one goal at a time\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-28T12:25:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1099,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"Aqsa Mushtaq\",\"Bradford\",\"business power awards\",\"female pakistani football player\",\"Leeds\",\"pakistani professional footballers\",\"sport champion of the year\",\"yorkshire\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Sport\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/\",\"name\":\"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules - one goal at a time - Asian News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-28T12:25:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2149f0ecde4738e00de4b0c33908acb0\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":1110},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules &#8211; one goal at a time\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/\",\"name\":\"Asian News\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2149f0ecde4738e00de4b0c33908acb0\",\"name\":\"Andleeb Hanif\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9ed822b4711a5d2acb770226e4a3fa095969bd9622f05f00b33aa77886fd5df8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9ed822b4711a5d2acb770226e4a3fa095969bd9622f05f00b33aa77886fd5df8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9ed822b4711a5d2acb770226e4a3fa095969bd9622f05f00b33aa77886fd5df8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Andleeb Hanif\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\\\/asian-news\\\/author\\\/editorah\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules - one goal at a time - Asian News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules - one goal at a time - Asian News","og_description":"\u201cIf I gave up &#8211; if other Muslim girls gave up &#8211; then attitudes would never change. We all need to be strong and show we\u2019re worthy of what we\u2019re doing.\u201d &#8211; Aqsa Mushtaq When Aqsa Mushtaq first kicked a ball around the streets of Bradford, she wasn\u2019t chasing fame or medals &#8211; just the [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/","og_site_name":"Asian News","article_published_time":"2025-10-28T12:25:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":1110,"url":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Andleeb Hanif","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Andleeb Hanif","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/"},"author":{"name":"Andleeb Hanif","@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/#\/schema\/person\/2149f0ecde4738e00de4b0c33908acb0"},"headline":"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules &#8211; one goal at a time","datePublished":"2025-10-28T12:25:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/"},"wordCount":1099,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp","keywords":["Aqsa Mushtaq","Bradford","business power awards","female pakistani football player","Leeds","pakistani professional footballers","sport champion of the year","yorkshire"],"articleSection":["Sport"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/","url":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/","name":"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules - one goal at a time - Asian News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp","datePublished":"2025-10-28T12:25:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/#\/schema\/person\/2149f0ecde4738e00de4b0c33908acb0"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aqsa-mushtaq-1_25-jpeg.webp","width":1600,"height":1110},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/exclusive-from-the-backstreets-of-bradford-to-the-professional-pitches-of-turkey-aqsa-mushtaq-is-rewriting-the-rules-one-goal-one-barrier-and-one-stereotype-at-a-time\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"EXCLUSIVE: From the backstreets of Bradford to the professional pitches of Turkey, Aqsa Mushtaq is rewriting the rules &#8211; one goal at a time"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/","name":"Asian News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/#\/schema\/person\/2149f0ecde4738e00de4b0c33908acb0","name":"Andleeb Hanif","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ed822b4711a5d2acb770226e4a3fa095969bd9622f05f00b33aa77886fd5df8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ed822b4711a5d2acb770226e4a3fa095969bd9622f05f00b33aa77886fd5df8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9ed822b4711a5d2acb770226e4a3fa095969bd9622f05f00b33aa77886fd5df8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Andleeb Hanif"},"url":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/author\/editorah\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp26.cmswebdeveloper.com\/asian-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}