"Is there even a football field in Nepal?" This was the question that the first generation female national football players had to face abroad. Four decades ago, the Nepali women's national team traveled to Hong Kong to play the first international tournament. That was the 1986 AFC Women's Championship. In Hong Kong, there was a curiosity among sports lovers, is there really a football field in the mountainous country?

Nepal played that tournament under the captaincy of Rama Singh and the coaching leadership of Khem Gurung. Currently, this tournament has been the AFC Women's Asia Cup since 2016. The 16th edition of the tournament was organized then. This first trip for Nepal itself was not a pleasant one, because the team could not score a single goal in three matches. On the contrary, 12 goals were scored. Nepal's rivals were Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia. 

In 1989, Nepal once again played the same old tournament. The location was Hong Kong. Nepal's performance was even worse. Nepal has played three games and lost badly in all three. Once again failed to score any goals and faced 25 goals.

It also has 14 goals in one game against Japan. After that, Nepal did not play this tournament in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997. In 1999, Nepal once again played this tournament. The tournament was held in the Philippines. They lost in all four matches they played there, conceding 30 goals. However, Pema Dolma Lama managed to score one goal against Uzbekistan. The day was, November 16. It was a historic occasion. With that, an era ends in Nepali women's international football. 

And, for the next 10 years, Nepal did not play any international women's football tournament. Nepal's international participation was revived after women's football was also included in the South Asian Games held in Bangladesh in 2010. Since then, India and Nepal have emerged as two major powers in South Asian women's football. And Nepal itself is constantly presenting tough challenges in women's football.

Nepal has played 89 games since 2010 in the same year. From 1986 to 1999, only 10 games were played. If we add the number of matches of these two periods, it reaches 99. Now Nepal is facing Laos in the AFC Women's Asia Cup qualifiers on Sunday. The match will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This will be the 100th match of the historical milestone of women's national football. 

In the early days, Nepali women's football struggled for its existence. These 100 games have become a source of inspiration for women's football, which is now showing a strong presence in Nepali sports. Women players want to write a new chapter in international football. Renuka Nagarkote, who made her debut in the Nepali team around 2010, is an equally important player in the current team. 

She says, "Recently, the nature of Nepali women's football has changed. Even after 15 years of his debut, he does not have much of a challenge in the current 23-member team. Therefore, it is certain that she will become a witness of history by playing 100 international matches. She adds, “More and more new players are coming forward. It is both a joy and an inspiration for us. I am excited about the prospect of being a part of the 100 games myself.' 

On December 18, 2010, she made her debut against Pakistan in the SAFF Championship at Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. If he gets the chance to play against Laos, it will be his 54th match for Nepal. What is equally remarkable is that there are 6 such players in the current team, who, like Renuka, have played more than 50 matches for Nepal. 

Renuka says, 'Now we have pro-licensed trainers. We have received a lot of support. Coach Patrick de Wilde is working very hard to improve our game. Nepali team's captain and goalkeeper Angela Subba will be the player who won the most caps. She has played 57 matches for Nepal.

Then comes Amrita Jaisi 56 games, Geeta Rana 55 games, Anita Basnet 55 games and Savitra Bhandari 54 games. Midfielder Saru Limbu is also on the verge of achieving a similar feat. He has played 49 matches so far. Saru, who has seen many ups and downs in her playing career, says, “I have gone through some bad times and I don't want to look back on them. Now Nepali women's football has a beautiful future.