For most female players, choosing football means betting on yourself

U ps and downs – as well as sacrifices – are a big part of the lives of those who want to play football professionally. In the women’s game, prejudice and low pay are additional hurdles to overcome in order to fulfil that dream. It is a lot of work – and for the players who are not quite good enough to play for their country it is even more difficult to stand out.

Ashley Riefner has taken the long – and rarely trodden – path from US university football to the professional game in Denmark, via Finland. It has not been an easy journey with injuries, having to dip into her savings to pay rent and a long-distance relationship that was in danger of breaking down.

But asked the question of whether it has been worth it, there is no question in the 29-year-old’s mind. All she ever wanted to do was to play football, and she is doing it.

“It’s been super hard,” says Riefner, who is now with Fortuna Hjørring. “I’ve had to be my own businesswoman, my own spokesperson, my own advocate along every step of the way. It’s not easy, but then I don’t really think it’s supposed to be. If I could do it again, I would. I think every step that I’ve taken has totally been the right choice.”

For her and many other young girls, to choose football is to bet on themselves. Born in the US, Riefner started playing at the age of six and has never stopped. “That was kind of my thing,” she laughs. Football got her into the University of Richmond and she started to dream about playing professionally. However, she was not drafted and not picked for the national team, meaning she had to find a different way to join a club.

“The path that I took versus what I thought it would look like is so different. Being from the US and not ever being on the national