My Strong Sister’s Unstoppable Passion for Football: Following Your Healthy Heart

My sister loved football. From the age of seven, I can remember her joining in with my two brothers and me. She would hold her own and tackle just as strongly as us.

We all had our favourite players or teams that we followed. My sister loved Liverpool and West Ham because two of her brothers were Liverpool supporters and the other supported West Ham. She said she did that so she wouldn’t have to take sides against any of us, lol.

Looking back, there were no women’s teams for my sister to follow or be a part of. At school, she was not allowed to play the game as the girls had to play Netball and rounders, which used to “piss her off’. On the way home from school, she would say how unfair it was that she could not play football.

On the way home, we would always stop and have an impromptu game of football with our friends, both boys and girls. This game would always end in arguments as my sister would embarrass the boys with her skills. They would then kick her, and I would give them a slap, and it would descend into chaos. No one kicks my sister!

Was I being overprotective? Yes. Could my sister handle herself? Yes. She would always say it didn’t hurt, and to this day, she still says that.

The future

Times have certainly changed now. Girls in school in the UK can play football, and they now have leagues set up so they can play on weekends. They also have women players they can follow, empathize with, and see that if they wish to have a career as a professional footballer, they can. It is no longer just men who can do that.

The Women’s Super League in England is growing in terms of teams and financial strength, providing young girls with the opportunity to excel and be paid for their efforts.

Role Model

My nieces love Marta, “The first lady of Brazilian football.” This woman has fought for the right to play the beautiful game and has become the first G.O.A.T. in women’s football. She has encouraged other young girls all over the world to follow their dreams and be whatever they want to be.

She has been a UN ambassador and has won six Ballon d’Or awards, but you don’t hear about these achievements.

Is it because she is a woman or because the press does not think it will sell papers?

There has never been a better time for women all over the world to become professional footballers. The opportunities for young girls today to play the game are fantastic, but there is still a lot of work to do as the funding for the women’s game is pitifully low compared to the men’s. The medical facilities afforded to women players are really bad and need improving, as too many women are succumbing to ACL injuries.

My sister did not have these role models or the opportunity to take her love of the game to the next level. I asked her, “Would you have tried to become a professional footballer if you started playing today?”

She said…

“Absolutely. If I had the opportunities that young girls have today, I would’ve jumped at the chance to pursue football professionally. It’s not just about playing the game I love; it’s about showing that women can thrive in this sport too.”

My final thoughts

I think this is what countless women yearned for. Despite the lack of opportunities in her time, she still loves to watch and dribble a ball!

As I listened to her, I felt glad that sexism in football is in some way diminishing. I’m not saying it does not still need improvements.

There is so much untapped potential in women’s football, and I hope that now young girls can have real dreams of playing football and becoming semi-professional, professional, or just as a way to keep fit.

The legacy of those like Marta and the tireless efforts to bridge the gap between men’s and women’s football is paving the way for a more inclusive, equitable future. My sister’s journey may not have led her to a professional career, but her love for the sport kept her fit and active.

As we move forward

Now, I see the same passion in my nieces and countless other girls who play on their girls’ football teams. They now have something my sister did not: the belief that their dreams of becoming professional footballers are not only valid but achievable.

The course of true equality continues, driven by the dreams and aspirations of those who dare to challenge the status quo.

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