FOOTBALL4GOOD MAGAZINE | MARCH 2020

“IT IS UP TOUS TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR CHILDREN TO FOLLOW; WE HAVE TO SHOWTHATWE RESPECT THE RULES, THATWE RESPECT THOSE AROUNDUS, THATWE ARE HUMBLE, CLOSE, AND REAL.” what can differentiate us from other athletes who promote another, more negative image of football. HOW DO YOU IMAGINE FOOTBALL TEN YEARS FROM NOW IN 2030? I imagine women’s football to be part of the main- stream. The sport has a great educational value and I would like the values of fair play, sportsman- ship and equality ​to be promoted through the sport more and moved on towards society. Through football we have the ability to mo- bilise countries, to mobilise people. There is no event like a World Cup that can reach so many people in one day, in 90 minutes. We have to take advantage of that power to improve society. HOW DO YOU IMAGINE THE 2030 WORLD CUP? A joint women’s and men’s World Cup togeth- er would be amazing. For example, the men’s team playing at the Bernabéu one day and the female team at the Wanda Metropolitano the next; both events having the same passion and intensity. WHY DID YOU JOIN COMMON GOAL? From the beginning I loved the initiative. I think it’s so valuable. Seeing players contin- ually joining, and especially my teammates from Atleti and the national team, I have been wanting to join for some time. I spoke with Olga [García] and reached out. As soon as I understood the vision of the movement and its objectives, I didn’t hesitate for a second to get involved. WHICH CAUSES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU? I love the idea of ​opening paths to others through football. Helping women in certain countries, where they may not have the same opportunities and, through football, offer a new path to a better life. I lived through having to follow male ref- erences and looking for women, because there were no visible female role models in football. I think the project I’m supporting [Goal 5 Accelerator] is a way of allowing girls to see that it doesn’t matter if you are male or female, that there is a way and if you fight and train hard you can make it, regardless of your gender. AMANDA SAMPEDRO BORN: 26 TH JUNE 1993 INMADRID, SPAIN CURRENT CLUB: ATLÉTICOMADRID FEMENINO, SPAIN WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM (MIDFIELDER) 12 13 FOOTBALL4GOODMAGAZINE | MARCH2020 IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW