27 February 2024
A captain. A champion. An icon. A symbol.
Or, simply, Sara Gama.
The Juventus Women captain was today's special guest LIVE on Twitch, and she had plenty to discuss, with a lot of focus paid to her recent final game for the Italian women's national team.
Below, we've taken some of the best bits from the chat.
A special goodbye from the National Team
“I am ‘the original’ Sara [laughs]. It caught me by surprise to see all my teammates dressing up as me by wearing wigs, they did well to keep it secret. At one point I heard a shout behind me while I was doing an interview and then I realised what was going on. It was a great idea, the brainchild of Martina Rosucci. It was all very unexpected, but enjoyable. I hoped it would be an important moment in my career, and it went as I hoped it would. It was definitely a special approach to the game and different from usual, and it’s a game I’ll always remember.”
A point of reference for many others to follow
“I have to thank everybody who sent me amazing messages. I get messages like that a lot, and it’s so nice to hear from mothers and fathers who have daughters who see themselves in what I’ve done. The idea that they take time to write to me is something that makes me happy, and they always remind me of the steps forward that this movement has taken over the years. These are the things that give you a boost. When you show people something, when you show them a patch, those who watch you know that they too can become footballers. It’s easier to learn with an example to follow.”
Experience abroad and the desire to play
“I played abroad because here in Italy things were very different at the time. It was a very big test for me personally, and I knew I would come up against stronger players. I stepped completely out of my comfort zone and that’s the biggest challenge you can give yourself. When I was younger I struggled to find teams to play for, and then as you get older you have to deal with all those prejudices that still exist today.”
