Sandy Mandalena Monteiro Alves

Sandy’s first football inspiration was not a global star, but her older sister Sirlene, whose amateur football trophies filled the family home.

Sandy came to field football late by academy standards, learning the fundamentals of being a goalkeeper on grass only after América-MG brought her in at 19.

During the pandemic, Sandy recovered from a serious knee injury back in the countryside, where isolation and local support helped her keep going.

Her Instagram bio carries a simple personal motto: “Have courage and be kind.”

One of Sandy’s strongest childhood memories comes from Águas Claras, her countryside village near the area affected by the 2015 Mariana dam disaster.