Oliwia Łapińska

Football entered Łapińska's life through her older brother. As a little girl, she followed him to his training sessions, matches and tournaments and would take a ball along to kick around by herself on the sidelines.

Her first teammates were boys. Łapińska began training at Czarni Pruszcz Gdański when she was five and did not join her first all-girls club until moving to Pogoń Tczew at 11.

Sergio Ramos and Virgil van Dijk are the defenders she has looked to for inspiration in developing her own game.

Her public football nickname is “Łapka.”

Her club loyalties and career dream point in opposite directions: she supports Real Madrid, but would love to play for FC Barcelona. She highlighted Barça's level and style in women's football when describing her dream move.

Oliwia Łapińska made time even during a packed schedule of league, cup and Poland national-team duties to support a homeless-animal shelter in Sosnowiec, joining its “Pokochaj Adopciaka” adoption campaign and helping four-year-old dog Baton search for a new home.