A very subjective look into AWFC

There is an infinity of things that, as hard as I try, I could never understand about being a female footballer. I don’t know what it’s like to be a woman, I don’t know what it’s like to be a professional/elite athlete. I can try to be as empathetic as possible yet I know there’s just no way for me to not only understand what they go through, but I also cannot understand a lot of things adjacent to the sport and so on.

Among those things that I cannot understand, and this is about football and sport in general, is having to face your friends. Now, of course I understand what it is and can be to play a sport and have a friend or even family member play in an opposing team… something like a pick up footy game with friends, or tennis, or whatever. That’s not hard or difficult to comprehend.

What I have issues understanding is when it gets to be a physical encounter… like you’re not gonna harm anyone playing tennis, but having to go in on a 50/50 tackle, in a World Cup final, against your best friend at club level, or someone you’re emotionally attached to, etc… this is nuts. Like I said, I try to understand it and I get the elite mentality where the opponent is just that: an opponent. I just don’t know that I have a brain that is fast enough to compartmentalize and not see someone I care about as the rival they should be, and I’d tackle the living lights out of them.

It’s one of those things were its just a given that elite players just overcome that and they have blinders on and fight whoever is front of them, yet I thought about it today, as I often do, and its just jaw dropping to me. Imagine an Australia vs England final were, hypothetically Beth Mead would play against Steph… hard fouls, or nutmegs, etc… or Leah having to tackle Caitlin… it’s just insane to me. It truly is.

There are many variables, the stakes are indescribable and when you have worked so long for something, its easy to assume no emotional connection with your rival can be an obstacle, but I can’t think of a bigger one than that.

d ❤

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