Alba Caño Isant: Our women's football needs more resources to be attractive enough.

BostonAlba Caño was born in 2003 in Puiggròs, a tiny village in Les Garrigues, where a deep passion for football grew from a very young age. She learned to play at the Les Garrigues Football School, later played for a few seasons with AEM Lleida, and at just fifteen years old, joined Barça, where she even played for the first team in the last two seasons. But to gain the playing time that the Barça stars weren't giving her, she decided to radically change teams. Since January, she has been a midfielder for Boston Legacy FC, a newly formed team in the American professional league (the NWSL)

How's the experience in Boston going?

— It's horribly cold, with wind chills as low as -25 degrees and tons of snow on the streets. In fact, we haven't been able to train here yet because of the weather.

Where is he preparing for the preseason?

— We spent January in Florida, where the weather is much nicer than in Boston, and right now we're training in Murcia, Spain. We don't return to Boston until the end of this week for our league opener.

The American league starts in March. On the 14th, they play at home against Gotham of New York. What are their sporting goals?

— We can't guarantee anything yet. It's very early, we're a very new team. We need to adapt. We'll see if we can finish in the top eight and qualify for the play-off That would be a huge success. In fact, we won our first preseason game against Washington 2-0, and that gave us a real boost. Let's build a strong team.

You share a team with players from the United States, but also from Colombia, Mali, Brazil, Uganda, Japan, Canada… It's like the United Nations! Is there a sense of unity?

— I arrived in January knowing practically no one, but we have a good feeling about it. The team is slowly coming together. We spend a lot of time together at training camps and we're building great cohesion and a solid project.

Despite cultural barriers…

— And the language! The English I learned in school is nothing like what I feel out there now. I was lucky the first few days with some of the teammates who speak Spanish with me, and they translated a lot of things I didn't understand. But I also see a lot of enthusiasm from the other teammates to communicate with me. They're very patient.

Your parents have always accompanied you to the matches. Now it will be a very different year…

— Yes… My dad keeps asking me what platform he'll be able to watch the American league games on, and I still don't know [laughs]. The truth is, we all have to get used to it together, especially the time difference.

You have a two-year contract in Boston. Are there any prospects beyond that?

— No. Right now I'm focused on enjoying the present and adapting to the team and the style of football here, because it's already a significant change. When I have to decide my future, I'll do that then.

You left Barça to get more playing time. Was that an easy decision?

— No. I'd been there for seven years and I was very happy. But whatever the circumstances, I wasn't getting the playing time I needed in Barcelona. Training there, with the best players in the world, was an incredible experience, but I have to continue on my path. If I ever return, I'd be absolutely delighted.

Don't you interpret it as a failure?

— No. Of course, my dream was to play for Barça, and I hope I can go back. But the world doesn't end here. There are a thousand teams in the world, a thousand adventures I still have to experience.

Is it difficult to manage successes and failures?

— There's little formal training available on the subject, although there are professionals who can help you manage it. It all depends on the individual and their temperament. In any case, there are no failures because of a decision, because it ultimately becomes a commitment to an adventure that you believe will help you grow.

You started playing in Les Garrigues when you were little. What advice would you give to girls today?

— Let them enjoy themselves. Let them have fun. In their case, the day will come when they play for a big team. All in good time. And above all, I would ask parents to let their children do what they want.

Many parents need to relax…

— We often see our children with so many plans, but we need to put ourselves in their shoes. Let them be happy, and that's all.

Has Barça's women's team been the cause of the rise in popularity of this sport?

— Barça's triumph has meant that, whether you like it or not, girls not only in Catalonia but throughout Spain and Europe see themselves reflected in it, convinced that they too can achieve great things and promote women's football. When I started, there was very little women's football, to be honest…

Who were your role models back then?

— When I was eleven and I loved watching Barça, I'd go see them play wherever I could. They didn't broadcast the matches on TV, so I had to travel to the games and training sessions. I still remember the time I went to Prades one summer, where they were training, and I met some of the players who later became my teammates, like Alexia, Marta Torrejón, Patricia Guijarro…

You're a football fanatic…

— Totally. I got really into it when I was little, and I can still spend an entire Sunday watching matches on TV. There are few things I enjoy more than watching football.

But, from a sporting perspective, doesn't Barça's current level unbalance the Spanish league?

— Frankly, the Spanish league needs more resources to better support the teams and become a more competitive and attractive league for the public. Right now, that's not happening; Barça and Real Madrid are the only two teams that stand out.

Is equalizing the salaries of female players with those of the men's league a pipe dream?

— Right now, I see it as impossible that salaries will ever be equal. I don't know if I'll ever see it. In fact, we female players aren't asking for as much money as in the men's league, but we do at least ask to be able to make a decent living from football. Right now, the minimum wages are quite low, making it difficult to save or even live on.

Is it different in other countries?

— It's true that England is in a different league… As is the United States. They invest far more resources than Spain.

What is your professional calling beyond football?

— I'm studying to be a teacher through UNIR online, but my professional football career makes it difficult. I'd like to be a physical education teacher. I've loved it since I was little.

And going back home?

— We'll see. It's too soon to say. But I must admit I'm a real homebody. I still remember when I had to leave Puiggròs, without my family, to go to Barcelona when I was fifteen. It was tough, even though I only went from Monday to Friday. But I have to admit I adapted very well and was very happy. Now it's time to take a bigger step. However, whenever I have free time, I'll come home quickly to see my parents and godmother.