The London Sunday League footballer enjoys a taste of the pro game….in Kazakhstan

A SUNDAY League footballer got a taste of the pro game – in Kazakhstan.

Isima Musa, 24, was once in the Wycombe Wanderers books but was released at 18 and feared his dreams were over.

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Now Isima has risen from park football to the elite level – she plays for FC Kyzylzhar.

He was invited to play in a pre-season game for the Kazakh Premier League after impressing in training.

Isima, from Farringdon, Central London, said: “I played the second half and got an assist.

“We lost 4-1. But I was just happy to be on a professional pitch and get minutes.

“I’m already looking forward to the opportunities.”

Isima, who was surprisingly called up to the Rwanda U23 side in 2021, is looking for a team in the UK.

Isima trained for a month and a half before getting 45 minutes in a game earlier this month.

He said: “I was out there in pre-season.

“I played a game against a Romanian team.

“My agent’s connections cleared it up.

“The club was looking for a striker.

“I was out there for a month and everything was paid for – travel, board and lodging.

“I couldn’t stay because there was a visa problem.

“But for my own journey, just being on the pitch has been a blessing.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunities now.”

Kazakhstan, the homeland of the fictional Borat Sagdiyev, adopted the slogan of Sacha Baron Cohen’s brash, mustachioed character – “Very nice!” – for a new tourism campaign.

But Isima, now back in the UK and looking for another team, loves the country.