F4GMag-Eleven-Digital[1230]

ELLA MASA Eager to follow in the footsteps of an older brother she looked up to, Ella Masar was only four years old when she first strode onto the football pitch. Later, in adolescence, the beautiful game offered a welcome distraction from problems at home and a way of showing her peers that, when you know how to use them, it doesn’t matter if your parents can only afford a cheaper pair of studs. As an adult, football also became a career during which she made an appearance for the US Women’s National Team in 2009 and played for 11 clubs in five different countries, among them Houston Dash, Paris Saint- Germain, FC Rosengård and, most recently, VfL Wolfsburg. Having just retired as a professional player, Ella continues to coach a team of refugees living in a reception centre on the outskirts of Wolfsburg, while plotting the next chapter of her journey. Along the way, she has encountered the different sides of the beautiful game, where joy and sorrow often go hand in hand. She spoke with FOOTBALL4GOOD magazine about how her tempes- tuous relationship with football, and all of the experiences that went with it, have prepared her for what is next and driven her to use the sport towards a greater purpose. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH COMMON GOAL MEMBER & FORMER VFL WOLFSBURG PLAYER