As World Cup approaches, a budding team has no opponents

With the World Cup less than a month away, there is a budding national team in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh with no one to play against.

The ethnic Armenian team in the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh has the shirts and the shoes, and even practices five days each week on an artificial field a short distance from the center of Stepanakert, the territory's capital. But that's about as far as the team goes.

"UEFA doesn't let us participate anywhere," said Artsakh defender Aram Kostandyan, who wishes he could inspire the younger generation of players and show them "why they are playing football."
"We see them using this name as a political statement."
Midfielder Arsen Sargsyan played in the Armenian league for more than seven years, but has now returned to Stepanakert. Besides playing soccer, Sargsyan also has a small business, helps out on the farms, and generally does "every job I can get my hands on."
"The Karabakh spirit is very high," Sargsyan said with a smile as he spoke about a future where the Artsakh team can "play under our country's flag."