Merel Bormans

As soon as she could walk, she already had a ball at her feet. She remembered being outside all the time with her father and sisters.

She decided very young that she wanted to become a professional footballer.

Her road into the professional game was shaped by two serious ACL injuries.

At 14, she chose football over staying in the same social circle. Bormans said she stepped away from her friend group because they could not relate to her world, and that choice hurt at the time.

She started her own clothing brand named More Identity.