[Video] Professional footballer Henok Goitom seeks to play for Eritrea in World Cup Qualifiers

By Olof Lundh

The other week Henok Goitom aside as reserve for Erik Hamréns European Championship qualifier squad. 

He has now applied for to play World Cup qualifiers Eritrea. 

- I got a revelation that I want to participate and contribute, he tells Soccer Channel.

Tuesday joined AIK striker Henok Goitom via twitter and explained that he is preparing papers to FIFA to

be ready for play for Eritrea in the World Cup qualifiers with Russia 2018th

Football channel reached the Allsvenskan top scorer leader:

- It is urgent, for it is the World Cup qualifiers already 9 October and now I will submit papers to FIFA for permission to play for Eritrea. I've played for the Swedish U21 national team, says Henok Goitom.

- Eritrea was featured in the qualifiers for the African Cup and fell there, and now the man of the World Cup qualifiers and there are many steps on the road to the World Cup but one must start somewhere.

Henok Goitom was born in Sweden but his parents are from Eritrea and now he wants to represent the country in the World Cup qualifiers where they will face Botswana in a double appointment. An interest that is completely fresh.

- There has not been a long time, we started talking about it last week. The union got in touch with my dad and I felt that it was exciting to be able to contribute to something and try to strengthen the national team, says Goitom.

Ahead of Sweden's European Championship qualifier against Russia and Austria revealed Erik Hamrén to Henok Goitom been in the large squad of 35 players to take out, but it does not affect AIK successor who some years ago was critical that he never had a chance in the A -landslaget.

- No, sometimes you only get a revelation and I received a revelation that I would be able to contribute now that I have been asked about it. There is perhaps no success now but I want to be involved and help out and add a further ground for the next generation of players in the national team. There is much that must be in place and it is about getting the Eritrean players from all over the world to come together and make it attractive to play for Eritrea.


- There is one thing I want to do and then be able to look back when you're old and see that you did something for the national team. It would be fun.

Heard of Erik Hamrén o Co?
- Nothing.

No one who got in when you became a part of the gross squad?
- No, no, I just e-mail from someone who works at the office that I would submit my passport so that I could go to Moscow. I did not know there were 35 players, just knew that I was some kind of reserve. The next will be good to hear from me to get back my passport.

Henok Goitom fill in the cards for 31 years and is in his third year in AIK and leads the Allsvenskan top scorer. He made 13 games and four for the Swedish U21 national team in 2005-06 and played seven seasons in Spain 2005-2012 season, which in Valladolid 2008-09 was the strongest with ten goals in 29 matches in La Liga.

Eritrea's national team is in place 201 in the latest world rankings from FIFA.

Online translation from Swedish

The process of playing for the Eritrean national team is on. I hope FIFA accept the permit on time #WCqualifications

— Henok Goitom (@Henok_Goitom) September 15, 2015

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