From washing kits and preparing snacks to winning a Ballon d'Or as a coach

BarcelonaWhen Amalia Valverde was little, she always watched soccer matches with a notebook in hand, taking notes. Her passion for the game led her to become a professional player, competing in the Costa Rican Women's First Division. With her physical training qualifications under her belt, she began a successful career as a coach. Her beginnings weren't easy. "I've had good experiences and bad ones, but I've learned from them all," she acknowledges. "I've experienced all kinds of situations. When I started coaching, I had to help with the administrative side, prepare the players' snacks, clean the uniforms, or go looking for lost balls," she recalls. Her determination led her to persevere and climb the ranks in a very male-dominated world of soccer. One of her latest achievements was managing the Mexican team Monterrey. It was then that the Liga BBVA MX Femenil awarded her the Golden Ball for winning the Clausura Tournament.

"Women's sports always face many obstacles, and I have the feeling that women always have to prove themselves more than others. When I started coaching, I had the opportunity to coach a high-performance team, and I was always asked if I was ready. My male colleagues weren't asked the same question. They were hired under the same supervision. When the team doesn't play well, our work is always questioned more."

"Women's sport is different from men's sport. Women face different social expectations. I always thought it was a bit more pronounced in the region where I grew up, but when I had the opportunity to travel the world and connect with other professionals, I realized it's a global issue that plays out worldwide. Of course, a woman can be an athlete, a mother, and a high-performance professional," says Valverde, who participated in the International Women in Sport Congress in Barcelona a few weeks ago.

The management responsibilities of a female coach extend beyond just the sporting aspect. "If we're talking about leadership, women are constrained by many factors because they have to consider many things that men don't even think about. When you're a coach, people think you're only in front of 20 or 25 players, but in reality, you have to coordinate many more people because you have a coaching staff, a club organization... You have to be flexible at times, and at other times, you have to adapt. The challenge is enormous," she notes.

A path to the future

Valverde is certain that her experience can be invaluable. "I feel like I'm paving the way for the women who will come after our generation. I hope the girls who arrive now will find an easier path," the coach explains. "Determination is key. We must always believe in the power of belief. Life is like a 90-minute match, and many things can happen. We may be told no many times, doors may be closed to us, but situations change. Football has always been a male sport, but women can also have our say. There will be people who tell us no," Valverde warns.