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42 images Created 25 Apr 2011

Women african football

Mali, Bamako: Women african football, among the Amazones of Bacodjikoronì in Bamako: in the dust wearing plastic sandals, dreaming to become Eto'o, Messi and Ronaldo.
They are young and beautiful, they dream to become a football stars. They are the young football players of club Amazones of Bacodjikoronì, one of the Bamako districts. We followed them during the training and the second matchday of first division national league. Initially shy, they told us about dreams and hopes. Bacodjikoronì means “across the river”, where is located the Bamako district of Amazones women football club. In the afternoon heat is still suffocating, clouds of dust are winding girls dribbling, stop and back-heel.
All of them dream to get a contract with foreign teams, in North Africa or better in Europe; and they believe it, their illusion is sweet. As for men, there's a market with observers and managers, but rarely the leap is successful without paying intermediaries.
Not in all countries of subsaharian Africa there's a real league, but women football is a evolving reality, approaching the male one. Especially because is seen as a mean to reach a better future abroad, even if few people get it, above all between women.
Mali is on of the poorest african countries, where in a traditional society girls get married young and not all the families accept easily to have a daughter football player. But the hope of success trough the football is so strong that often families accept to delay the wedding day and follow the dream of a career.
Girls are training under a pitiless sun, football field is made of sand and small stones, some of them are wearing broken shoes, others plastic sandals. They are very beautiful, their faces graceful and sweet, but on the field they don't avoid fighting and strong actions, that's the reason because one of them is called “Gattuso”.
They are part of the change of Africa, even in the way to be a woman; as every young they have the right to dream a better future, Europe myth is also passing through this sand.
Bamako, Mali, 2011
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  • Amazones women football team players. Girls wear Barcelona, Chelsie, Milan or Real Madrid shirts, sold cheap everywhere. Most of them don't have football shoes, all of them dream to become a star
    Amazones-01.jpg
  • Bamako, across the river. In the other side stand out the tower of BCEAO (Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest)
    Amazones-02.jpg
  • The coach speaking to football youth team of Amazones of Bacodjikoronì, one of the Bamako districts. They are under 16, later will pass to first team playing in a national league first division.
    Amazones-03.jpg
  • Women in a 'sotrama', tipical collectif taxi, in Bamako (Mali)
    Amazones-04.jpg
  • Amazones team players training in the district of Bamako called Bacodjikoronì
    Amazones-05.jpg
  • The football youth team of Amazones of Bakodjikoronì, watching the training of the the first team
    Amazones-06.jpg
  • Traoré Djenema (on the left), center forward of Amazones, is talking about football; she would like to become a professional star
    Amazones-07.jpg
  • The captain Madeleine and “Rasta”,  Amazones team players on a first division of Mali national woman football league
    Amazones-08.jpg
  • Players of Les Amazones during training. The team compete on first division of national women football league; as it isn't a professional league, players and coach are not payed
    Amazones-09.jpg
  • Amazones team players are training in the  district of Bamako called Bacodjikoronì, that means "across the river". The afternoon is very hot, clouds of dust winding girls dribbling, stop, backheel.
    Amazones-10.jpg
  • At the end of training, the girls are talking about themselves. They dream to become football stars and travel in Europe as their heros Eto'o, Ronaldo and Messi
    Amazones-11.jpg
  • The captain Madeleine and “Rasta”,  Amazones team players on a first division of Mali national woman football league
    Amazones-12.jpg
  • Traoré Djenema and  Rasta, players of Les Amazones of Bamako, during training
    Amazones-13.jpg
  • At the end of the training, the girls are talking about themselves. Some of them had problems with their parents, unhappy to have a daughter playing football. But generally also for families, football means hope in a better future
    Amazones-14.jpg
  • Girls passing near a football field, in Bamako
    Amazones-15.jpg
  • Girls of Les Amazones of Bakodjikoronì (Bamako) warming before second match of a national league. As no professional league, the associations just provide uniforms, soccer balls and means for transfer, often with difficulties
    Amazones-16.jpg
  • The girls of Malisadio women football team warming before second match of a national league, Malisadio against Amazones of Bacodjikoronì. Today is a derby, Malisadio team is from another Bamako district.
    Amazones-17.jpg
  • Girls of Les Amazones of Bakodjikoronì (Bamako) warming before second match of a national league, against Malisadio, other team of Bamako
    Amazones-18.jpg
  • Girls of Les Amazones of Bakodjikoronì (Bamako) warming before second match of a national league, against Malisadio, other team of Bamako
    Amazones-19.jpg
  • Girls of Les Amazones of Bakodjikoronì (Bamako) warming before second match of a national league, in district of Bakodjikoronì, that means "across the river"
    Amazones-20.jpg
  • In front of some supporters, Les Amazones of Bacodjikoronì (Bamako) are warming with the soccer ball before second match of a national league.
    Amazones-21.jpg
  • Les Amazones of Bacodjikoronì team are listening seriously to the last indications of the coach before the match
    Amazones-22.jpg
  • Under the control of the two captains, the checking list of the two team players, before the match between Les Amazones of Bacodjikoronì and Malisadio team, both from Bamako
    Amazones-23.jpg
  • Amazones vs Malisadio, players ready to start, in the second matchday of the Mali national women football league. The match is starting late, because the linesmen are missing. A manager for each team will replace them
    Amazones-24.jpg
  • Amazones vs Malisadio, players are waiting for kick-start. The football field is on sand and the black lines are drew with coal, not exactly straight
    Amazones-25.jpg
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