The recent disappointing result in the World Cup is a glaring case study of how badly Pakistan can develop its football. The PFF, which subsidizes the teams, has done little to promote player development. Despite the fact that the country's second most popular sport is largely ignored by the rest of the world, the governing body is keen on promoting Pakistani football. In addition to a lack of professional leagues, the country's stadiums and fields are poor, and the government has made no attempt to promote football in the country.
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Despite having some of the most talented players in the world, Pakistan has never qualified for the World Cup and has never played a major tournament outside South Asia. India qualified in 1950, but withdrew after the tournament. With such a strong cricket presence in the country, Pakistan has a high rate of participation in the AFC Challenge Cup. The country's footballing prowess has been undermined by a lack of trust, honesty, loyalty and a strong partnership with the government.
The government's lack of investment in infrastructure is another reason for Pakistan's football decline. While the country's population of 200 million makes it a potential Asian footballing powerhouse, it is no match for India or China, which rank higher than Pakistan in FIFA's world rankings. In fact, the country's football team is currently ranked 217th in the world, behind Afghanistan and San Marino. In spite of its massive population, there are 57 cities with a combined population of more than Tonga.
While there are plenty of young football talent in Pakistan, most of them come from the poorer sections of society. The country's best players hail from the slums of Karachi and Balochistan, where the people are passionate about the game, but lacking the means to invest in expensive products. Moreover, the government hasn't done much to help improve the national game. In fact, it has taken personal interest in the chairman of the cricket board, leading to numerous embarrassments and a decline in its international status.
The country's population numbers are impressive, but its football teams are terrible. It has a population of around 200 million, but its top players are not as good as other nations. In fact, they're barely competitive with most countries in the world. If these countries were to compete with Pakistan, it would be among the top five. With such a low ranking, there's no doubt that a team can do better.
Even though Pakistan's national football has suffered since the bombing of Youhanabad, there's no doubt that the country's lack of success is rooted in its inability to play football well. While the nation's women's national team has been inactive since 2014, the national team has not even played a single match in an official match since the incident. The lack of representation has led to a series of boycotts in the AFC Women's Asia Cup qualifiers.