Other football beginnings

283 fun facts in this category

Alkemade started her football journey as an outfield player rather than a goalkeeper.

She became a goalkeeper unexpectedly at the age of 13 when her school team lacked a goalkeeper during a county match.

Brazil's silver-medal run at the 2004 Olympic Games inspired her to pursue football more seriously, with Marta, Formiga, Cristiane and Juliana Cabral becoming important role models.

She moved away from home while still young to pursue football, and adapting to change has been one of the biggest personal challenges of her career.

Her mother initially didn’t allow her to play, because she felt football was “for boys.”

As a kid, she wasn’t a fan of heading the ball and said she even cried about it. Her father trained her specifically on heading by tossing balls for her to head back.

Dolo grew up with what was essentially a mini football pitch in the family garden — artificial turf, two small goals and even floodlights.

Her route into elite football began in fútbol de bardas, a small-sided version of football played on enclosed hard courts.

Her football path was decided by a phone call: while she was discussing with her parents whether to choose basketball or football, Argentina called after spotting her at the Juegos Bonaerenses.

The first football match she ever saw was HAC – Bourg-en-Bresse in 2016, where they were missing a goal to go up. Where Lys Mousset had hit the posts twice. It was a real match! I was 9 years old, it marked me.

She used to sneak her football boots out the window to play secretly when her parents felt she wasn't focused on school.

Before becoming an attacker, she actually started her youth career in goal, spending about two years as a goalkeeper before moving up the pitch into the forward line.