Girls soccer in Brazil, changing gender norms

At ACER Brasil, sport is much more than leisure – it is a powerful tool for development, safeguarding, and life transformation. Among the various activities offered, girls’ futsal has stood out as a space for strengthening the confidence of girls and young women in the region, promoting self-esteem, teamwork, and equal opportunities.

By encouraging girls to play futsal, ACER is breaking historical and social barriers that still wrongly claim football is not for them. Here, each training session is a statement that they can – and should – occupy all spaces, including those in sport. The players, of varying ages, find in the court not only a place to play, but also a safe environment where they can express themselves, learn, and grow.

The work of ACER’s female coaches and professionals goes beyond technical training. They closely follow the development of each girl, with a keen focus on emotional, family, and social aspects. Futsal thus becomes a channel for listening, care, and support. In many cases, the activity also contributes to keeping girls in school, strengthening family bonds, and helping them build healthier life paths.

We interviewed some of the youth monitors (whose names we have changed to protect their privacy) from the girls’ futsal programme, who shared their experiences working with the girls and reflected on the importance of being women in these roles:

Anna:
“Day to day, they’re really calm. They’re lively and well-behaved. They’re really keen to learn futsal. I notice their coordination, development, and teamwork improving. Yes, I think it makes a difference that I’m a woman rather than a man, because they open up more with me, they chat a lot and feel more comfortable. Maybe with a male coach they wouldn’t be as open.”

Isabela:
“With the girls and younger children at ACER, I’m already used to them because I have a younger brother, and I know how to deal with children of almost all ages – I’m also part of the Holiday Project here. In our daily routine, I can see that their development will be better because sometimes they hold themselves back. It’s great to have a female coach because it makes it much easier to talk and to develop. I can behave more freely, without having to restrict myself so much. Putting myself in their shoes, I’d feel more at ease too.”

Vitória:
“My routine with the girls is very calm, especially because they’re girls. They find futsal harder to learn, as many are only now coming into contact with the sport for the first time, but apart from that, it’s all quite easy-going. I think sport really develops empathy in children. It’s a space where they can show everything they feel, both with each other and with the coaches and the teacher. For the girls, having a female coach instead of a man creates a safer space. Sometimes, with a male coach, they might think he knows more, and that makes things a bit harder. With us, they have more freedom to talk, express themselves, and be who they are.”

This reinforces our commitment to having female role models for our girls so that they can also be kept safe and be inspired in their developemnt every day.