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
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
