Rasheedat Ajibade

Paris Saint-Germain FC

Atlético Madrid once surprised her by flying her mother to Spain for a match, the first time her mother had watched her play live. Ajibade marked the occasion by scoring.

Lucia Pastrenge

Ternana

A lucky phone call with her grandmother became Lucia’s special pre-match ritual. Before scoring her first Serie A goal, a dramatic 92nd-minute winner against Inter, her grandmother wished her luck, and they later agreed to repeat the call before future matches.

Andressa Alves

SC Corinthians Paulista

Before she had a proper ball, she used doll heads as footballs. Nike later turned that childhood story into “The Doll I’ve Never Asked For,” a campaign built around girls who want football more than dolls.

Johanna Renmark

Djurgårdens IF

She competed in team gymnastics at a very high level.

Korina Janež

1. FC Union Berlin

Janez started judo at the age of six and took part in several national competitions for her school. In 2013 and 2014, she became national champion in her age group; most recently, she was a blue belt.

Leilanni Nesbeth

Chicago Stars FC

She’s a drummer. As a child, after only a month of lessons, she earned a scholarship to a drum school in New York.

Emmy Jézéquel

RC Lens

During her time at Guingamp, she followed the exact same pre-match routine for years, including sitting in the same locker room seat before kickoff.

Ona Batlle

Arsenal WFC

Her pre-match ritual is to step onto the pitch with her right foot first.

Roselène Khezami

Les Marseillaises

Before matches, her mother cooks her avocado and eggs, plus a glass of apple juice, a ritual she keeps before every game.

Stine Sandbech

BK Häcken

She co-launched a one-step wellness journal project called Oakmind with her husband Emil, aimed at helping people manage everyday stress.

Sarah Gorden

Angel City FC

She founded HoodSpace in 2020, a non-profit focusing on mental health and wellness for girls of colour through meditation, yoga and sport.

Nicole Anyomi

London City Lionesses

She loves dancing and fashion. She studied fashion management and founded her own fashion brand, ETONAM.