Unstoppable
Trio

What was your first football club and when did you realise that you wanted to play professionally?
Ines: I think I never realised I wanted to play professionally because for me, it was always a dream. I love football and my whole family plays as well: my brothers, my grandpa, my father, everyone. That’s why for me it was enjoyable to practice football every day. Even if it’s not in a club, but just with my friends, I enjoy it. I think the moment I realised maybe I can play professionally, was when I went to INSEP (the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance) in France. There are only five best players in your generation that get selected, and I was among this five. That’s when I thought I could maybe go professional. Something that started out as a dream, and then I was suddenly there.

I started playing at FC Martigues, where I was born, when I was five years old. When I started I just played with the boys and this went on for a long time, I think maybe 10/12 years. It was really nice, especially when I enjoyed it – I was always smiling. It is also really good for progression: it’s really good to play football when you are really young because you learn the truest type of football.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals before the games?
Ines: I am Muslim so I pray a lot. I think when I have God with me, then everything can be well. I don’t really have any rituals and I don’t care so much about what I eat before games – I like everything! Bananas, pasta, gnocchi, Bavarian spätzle – I love spätzle, I could eat it every day!

What’s your vision for women’s football?
Ines: We’ve seen some progress, but I hope it’s going to progress even faster because I don’t think it’s going as fast as we want. For example, the World Cup in France got a boost during the World Cup period, but the euphoria did not continue afterwards. I think that other countries like England, Spain or Germany are really moving much faster. We see it in the stadiums that are filling up, in the effort that is being put in. And there is enthusiasm behind all women’s football, it’s not just “here are women who play football”, it’s like a real club – there are supporters, there are fans. I’ve never seen a club, for example like Bayern, where we play six hours away and fans still come to watch us, stand behind us and have fun. There is really a passion, in many clubs, but I think it could be even more. We must continue to put in all the means there are and push for women. I believe there is really much more to come from all this.

What advice do you have for young girls who want to become professional footballers?
Ines: I have nephews and nieces and they play football. And when they play they always say “I’m doing it like you, Auntie!”. When I talk with them, I tell them they should do as they want and if they don’t like football, change and do what they want, basketball, tennis, whatever. But if you like football, enjoy it! Don’t think about having to perform or be the best, or always do what your coach says you have to or your mum. Don’t care about that: just play your football. Do your job, listen to the advice of the trainer and everything, but play your football and then you can be your own person. Believe in your dream.

What was your first football club and when did you realise that you wanted to play professionally?
Sam: I actually started playing football quite late. I did a sport called curling before and I didn’t join a football team until I was 12. I was a late comer. The first team I joined was Falkirk FC in my local area, and from there we switched over and became Central Woman. I was then at a school of football in Scotland, and after Glasgow City, a big club and the top team in Scotland at that time, wanted me. At first I thought no way I’m going, I was so comfortable where I was. But my coach told me I was too good to be where I was and that I needed to go. So, I joined Glasgow City when I was 16 and played professionally in Scotland until I was 24: five years at Glasgow City and then I went to Rangers for my last couple of years. And then from summer last year I came to Bayern Munich.

How are you finding it at Bayern Munich?
Sam: It’s amazing! I mean the level is unbelievable. The players you train with, the competition is so high. It’s never an easy game which is amazing. And the fan base…just everything! Sometimes it’s so crazy you can’t believe it. Being in a different country, learning a different culture, a different language – at first it can feel so surreal but I can say I’ve done it and it’s an amazing experience. I am so happy to be here.

What’s your vision for women’s football?
Sam:  I think over the last ten years, women’s football has progressed amazingly. You can even tell: for example, look at England women’s team, the crowds – its excelling so much and there’s so much growth. I hope that we continue and put more media attention on it and give more equality to the women’s game in terms of things such as the transfer markets. You can tell now it’s becoming a bit like the men, obviously not with the amount of money that the men have, but it’s going in the right direction. The more punditry we have and commentators, for example, a big name like Ian Wright, from the men’s game is commentating on women’s football. And then you’ve got women commentators like Alex Scott commentating on the men’s. So it’s coming together and merging – but obviously it’s completely separate at the same time. I think it’s progressing so much and we should continue to support it and invest in it.

It doesn’t always have to be about football, but branding and sponsorships too. You see companies like PUMA who invest in and look after their athletes and promote women athletes. It’s not only just about football, its about idols in women’s football which I think is amazing. The more we continue to grow in this and the more we invest in it, the more we will get back in return.

What was your first football club and when did you realise that you wanted to play professionally?
Kathi: I joined my first club, SV Rothenthurn, a small-town club in Austria, when I was about 6 years old. I played on a team with boys, which was normal for a lot of girls back then. Those were my first steps, and I definitely didn’t think it was going to lead to a professional career. It was just a fun thing I enjoyed doing with my friends. But, slowly, through school and training hubs and other opportunities, I played with the idea of going pro. Attending St. Pölten, a women’s academy, the first in Austria at the time, showed me that I really did want to go pro. I was then able to make the transition into the U national teams and that really solidified it for me.

What’s your vision for women’s football?
Kathi: I hope it continues to go the way it has over the last few years. I think things have gone uphill very quickly, although it took some time at the beginning. The last two years have shown such a big change in terms of presence and the number of spectators. The interest has increased, regardless of whether it’s related to media or sponsors. I think a lot has happened and it would be possible to carry this momentum on, even more so here in Germany.

What advice do you have for young girls who want to become professional footballers?
Kathi: I don’t think there is just one way to become a professional football player. There’s this path that you imagine, going to an academy and progressing from there, but there are other ways. It is important to have fun and to be patient. That is something I really had to learn over time. Not everyone is going to understand your dreams and that’s okay. What is most important, is that you believe in yourself, your strengths and your dreams. I think that’s what I would tell every girl.

Do you have any pre-game superstitions or rituals before your matches?
Kathi: I wouldn’t say I do anything special. I do have a necklace from my baptism, which my grandma got for me back then. I always hang it with my jersey. It’s the first thing I put on and I somehow have the feeling that she is there with me. It’s not a big deal if I forget the necklace, but it is still important to me to have it around.