ROMA – Her classmates greeted her wearing curly wigs like her, and it’s no coincidence: that hair has become a symbol recognized abroad too. Sara Gama he said goodbye to the national team after 140 appearances, a drastic but thoughtful choice. “I will tell the story of my classmates wearing wigs for years. We joked about it all evening. Then the following evening in Coverciano we had a more intimate moment, we were moved.”
Sara, when did you understand that football would be your profession?
“When at 16 I moved to Tavagnacco: they gave me the first 100 euros, it seemed incredible to me that they paid me to play, I came from the team where I played for two years in the youth team and with which from Serie C to Serie B with the first team: we paid the tuition and the managers were all parents. But that money was expense reimbursement, in my mind I was always preparing to do something else in life.”
Do you remember your first ball?
“One of the light, colorful ones: my grandfather gave it to me, I took it everywhere. Nobody in the family loved football, if anything more than engines.”
Did anyone ever try to tell her when she was little: forget it?
“On the contrary, my best friend’s parents took me to their team, since I always played with him and my friends. No one ever tried to dissuade me, at least of those who were close to me: if anything, someone outside, because he saw it as something unusual. For years in all of Trieste I was the only girl playing football and kids and parents saw me as a discovery.”
What are your interests outside of football?
“Museums, theatre, concerts, simply a dinner with friends. But I live in Turin, there is also a lot of sport to see here: I went to the basketball Final Eight, last year I saw Brescia win with my friends from Brescia, I also saw the tennis ATP Finals live, Sinner-Rune in November, one year ago the final Djokovic-Ruud”.
And did you play other sports?
“As a child I ran for school: middle distance. A track team made me join because I was good at endurance. But with my friends we mainly played football, although we also played tennis in a lawyers’ club where they gave me the keys to try the forehand against a wall. But never on a serious level.”
Speaking of tennis: Sinner said he hates social media and only uses them for work. She?
“Almost the same. Today behind a screen we allow ourselves to say things that no one would have the courage to say in person. This has an impact on the lives of footballers: positive or negative opinions spread like wildfire and affects the quality of life of male and female athletes. Even positive excesses can do a lot of harm.”
A curiosity: is it true that footballers put on make-up before playing?
“Some footballers put on make-up before going on the pitch, yes, but why is it news? Footballers do their hair, do skin care and go to the hairdresser, it’s not just women who are treated: football is no longer just sport but also a lot of image. The world has changed, before sport.”
You have tried to change football as a manager: you are among those who have really had an impact on achieving female professionalism.
“I saw teammates leave the national team to accept real job offers: the idea was that a girl couldn’t make a living playing football. Or if so, for how long? I wanted to make sure it didn’t happen again.”
What effect does having been a symbol have on you?
“Others make you a symbol, recognizing your role. I just tried to expose myself for what I believed in and if you do that you happen to clash with someone or something.”
Who did she have to fight against?
“Are so many. I’m talking about those who think that football cannot be made for women.”
Like those coaches who, to criticize their players, say that they played like sissies.
“They’ve heard it. But they are the legacy of things that come from far, far away. Women’s football was born with men’s football in England at the end of the 19th century but then went in fits and starts. In Italy it was only born in 1933 in Milan, then fascism banned it due to the idea that it was bad for women. Certain phrases come from this culture, from this ignorance. But changing this legacy takes time.”
What effect did Jenni Hermoso’s case in the summer World Cup final have on you?
“Anyone who hasn’t yet understood how to relate to a high-level athlete is a child of the same heritage.”
What are the next goals?
“I would like more to be done to allow girls who want to play football to do so: there are not enough structures that can accommodate them near home and not all of them have parents who can accompany them 45 minutes away by car. And those who don’t have them, then leave.”
She was in the Federal Council as a female quota: they don’t risk it.
“Years ago I would have said: no quotas for women, I want to conquer everything. Then over the years I realized that you can deserve it, like I did, and prove yourself valid, and in the end they offer you the role, like the Assocalciatori did with me. But men and women still don’t have the same opportunities and in this the pink quotas perhaps serve to enter a world. But it’s not enough: we need to encourage the training of female managers. Then it’s up to us to go and get what we deserve.”
Do you see yourself as a coach in the future?
“I’ve never felt the push to pursue that career: some of my classmates have already done remote courses like WalkersRosucci, Cernoia, bonanza. For ten years I have chosen a more political career, I am vice president of Aic. I took the sports director course, this is my path. Then, never say never: I don’t rule out coaching a priori.”
The exclusion from the World Cup: after more than six months, has there been an explanation?
“I have my opinions, but I think about the present and I keep the good memories of this Nations League: we beat the world champions Spain, finishing second ahead of Sweden. What has happened has happened, I keep the many beautiful things.”
2024-02-27 21:38:06
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