My first memory in life is watching the Dutch national team with my grandma back in Venezuela .I love football. Always have and always will. I’ve been obsessed with it, much more than I’ve been obsessed with music, believe it or not.
At one point I wanted to be a footballer for real. Watching countless matches and playing the sport helped me become a better player, a better teammate, a better athlete. It made me develop consistency and all the things associated with sport, even at a very, very, very low level.
You guessed it right: I sucked and I never ever had an actual shot. However, I bloody loved it and still do now more than ever.
As a fan, with my whole heart invested in Arsenal and the dutch national team, I experienced so many emotions and learned about loyalty, authenticity and developed a sense of belonging. Ironically this sense stemmed from not belonging but that’s a topic for another post.
I’ve never actually had my heart broken in a relationship, but as a football fan I have lost count.
But for all that love and obsession it wasn’t until I started watching women’s football that my life as a football fan truly began. My life has been exponentially enhanced by it and I am convinced that I have actually become a better person all around.
My mind, heart and soul opened up to a whole new world in which everything seems aligned. It has also allowed me to put into practice more than ever a social responsibility I feel I owe to the Arsenal community. A world of inclusivity, of patience, of empathy, a place where my expectations where challenged (not of the sport itself but expectations of ME as a person and fan) and much more.
To draw a quick parallel to music… my friend Max and I were on tour last year and as we’re sitting on out plane we were talking about how much we loved punk and hardcore music, as we always do. And then he said something that I actually heard him say about 7 years earlier but had forgotten how perfect the statement was:
“Listening to jazz makes you be a better musician. Listening to hardcore makes you a better person”
Arsenal women are my hardcore.
If you’re reading this is because you already get it and you already feel that way. We care about these players on a deeper and more profound level than with any team we’ve ever supported. As I mentioned on the previous post re KT etc… we care about their hearts, their emotions and mental health.
The other day I was driving and started thinking about how these women, from all clubs, have always been and continue to become role models for young girls. But given that I am self absorbed I started wondering how that affected ME. I thought about how I wouldn’t have the same access to the players if I was on pitch side or at a signing or something like that and how I feel alienated when I hear interviews or programs and they only talk about players being a role model for young girls.
Like… what about me? haha
Seriously though, what truly made me open my eyes was that as silly as my complaint was, imagine how alienated women have been from the sport basically FOREVER. It’s absolutely wild. Forget about women’s football for a second, but just how hard it’s been for women to be involved in football in general.
It’s wild.
To a degree I feel I owe to every single woman who has ever kicked a ball, who has attended a match, who has covered a tournament, who has photographed a training session etc etc etc. I owe you for your bravery, your patience and your love for the game.
If you are reading this and this applies to you. THANK YOU
d ❤
Listen to THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
A very subjective look into AWFC 
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