Spotted: The Good Football at the World Cup — Vol I

Bad World Cup, good football?

Great news: we’ve reached our Kickstarter goal for the Berlin Indie Football Festival, yay! If you want to join us and be a part of this cool gathering of people who not only believe in but are building a better football in many different ways, grab your tickets here and support indie football!

Another week of football, another report on the good football spotted during a controversial World Cup, to say the least. I promise this is a TV photography content-free area.

Other than being reminded that at any point we will come across news that yet another footballer was accused of, investigated for, or charged with sexual abuse…… it was a good World Cup week.

Enjoy the read!

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The handwritten note left by the Iranian squad in the LA locker room speaks for itself. Later on, they left another touching note after their last match in this World Cup in Seattle.

Cabo Verde’s journey keeps bringing a breath of fresh air to the world of football. Their reaction to being qualified for the next round was beautiful. Best of the best of the best of luck to them in the upcoming match.

This dad helping his son “see” Portugal’s goal will surely make your day.

In Brazil, an unlikely footballer is grabbing people’s attention. People are finding out that Danilo (post in Portuguese) is a great leader on and off the pitch, because of his posture, interests and statements. Not to be that person, but as an investigator of the good football, I’ve had him on my radar for a while now. I’m pretty sure this interview in which he speaks about racism in football while playing for Juventus has appeared here before. He co-founded a media platform focused on featuring people and initiatives that generate positive impact, and a social project that uses sport as an education tool in Brazil. I'm glad this kind of public stance is what's catching people's attention; that’s exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping to find and report here.

Côte d’Ivoire manager Emerse Fae spoke up about the racism in Schweinsteiger’s comments when referring to his team - the same old ones we’re used to hearing. Worth the watch.

When South Africa qualified for the round of 32, this post told the story of Shosholoza, the powerful chant that originated in the 19th century. Of course it reminded me of this iconic song from the 2010 World Cup playlist. If you’re Brazilian (or can tap the translate button, hehe), this page is a must-follow.

Mexican legend GK Ochoa’s reaction when learning he’d go in and play his sixth World Cup edition was beautiful and such a good representation of the things we love the most about football!

I tried to, but I couldn’t escape from featuring the Socceroos again. I love this #KnowYourRoos series, in which the players talk about their roots and background, giving us a better picture of the diversity present in their national team. Through this post, I also learned that they’re staying in Oakland Roots’ facilities in the US. If you still don’t know them, this is a club with the good football in its DNA. What a collab!

These moms used the spotlight set on Mexico during the World Cup to bring awareness to the big missing persons crisis happening in the country for the last couple of decades. Hijacking the stage built for football to promote important causes when that space doesn’t come naturally is also practising good football.

THE GOOD LINKS

🤌​ These gorgeous prints.

😍​ More beautiful art.

​💛​ This Brazilian filmmaker using football to talk about belonging.

🔤​ World Cup fonts.

🇧🇷​ These photos.

🎨​ The tifo created for AS Velasca by a group of young art students made its way to a proper museum. I love everything about this story.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

***section temporarily suspended because everything is about the World Cup now***

Bad World Cup, good football?

Human Things

As promised, here's the first official Spotted: everything I found while looking for the good football in the World Cup this week.

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🇨🇻​ Cabo Verde’s heroic match against Spain, and all things Vozinha — from the performance of his life at 40 years old to his mom getting her visa fees waived, and being there to see her son and witness yet another historic Cabo Verde match.

🇦🇺​ Pretty much everything about the Socceroos? My algorithm is delivering me every single piece of content about them, and I don’t hate it. Highlights were Mabil’s words about Refugee Week, this video about Nestori Irankunda’s and his family’s journey getting to Australia — and this moment of him learning he had won the Player of the Match award.

And this series of posts from the official Socceroos account on the grassroots journeys of their players, tagging their first clubs and all, is so good! In Mohamed Toure’s case, that story also intertwines with that of his family’s coming to the country.

Oh, how I wish they’d have won that game last Friday. 🥲​

Lastly, their players are sporting Unwanted FC’s reworked boot bags and wash bags. How can you not like a team that wears upcycled gear by an Aussie indie brand?

I’ve chosen my second place; it’s gonna be an all-green-and-yellow podium this year. 💛​💚​

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🇧🇷​🇭🇹​ Have you ever heard of the love story between Brazil and Haiti’s national teams? (The top comment of this post is almost better than the post itself, by the way). What I remember most about 2004 isn’t even the match itself, but the images shown on Brazilian TV of the insane reception that our players got from the crowd when arriving in Haiti — I don’t really remember seeing anything like that in Brazil.

​🇨🇮 Yan Diomande’s heartbreaking but brutally honest letter to his late little sister. I appreciate when footballers dare to show us other sides of their personalities, because that’s usually where the good football hides.

🇧🇪​ While Belgium player Jeremy Doku got criticised after saying he’d leave the World Cup to attend the birth of his child (um, hello??), there were also good statements and conversations defending his stance. Ben Foster’s and Ollie Watkins’ were two that I came across. Even though this shouldn't even need defending, given the pace things move in the men's football universe, it's good to see these voices saying the obvious out loud anyway.

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If you liked this post, come back next week for more spottings of the good football in the World Cup.

THE GOOD LINKS

This Illustration.

A fascinating visual representation of all World Cup footballers’ birthplaces.

Goal nets becoming work of art.

This artist's take on different World Cup matches.

Finland’s first hybrid football stadium, a hopeful sight for the future of football.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

***section temporarily suspended because everything is about the World Cup now***

Share The Good Football

Human Things

The Good Stuff - Vol VII

The World Cup is here! And it’s the exact mess we were expecting it to be so far.

In talking to friends, scrolling through feeds, and reading different articles, I’ve found that the lack of that unique, characteristic World Cup excitement is definitely shared. No wonder why; while our only concerns should be filling out sweepstakes, dressing our homes in the colours of our national flag, deciding where we’re gonna watch each game, and what outfits to wear, we are instead reading all types of bad news that only confirm what we were already expecting to find.

Headlines such as “Somali Referee Denied Entry to U.S. for World Cup”, “World Cup tickets for Iran fans revoked, says country’s federation”, “FIFA Peace Prize winner bombs Iran on eve of FIFA World Cup”, or “Here’s who’s been banned from the 2026 World Cup so far” are as surreal as they are distracting from the spectacle we’ve waited 4 years for, and also denying its own nature.

The World Cup is about bringing everyone together to play a sport that belongs to the very same people who are playing, watching, travelling, and celebrating.

From the realisation that no World Cup will be as good as the one from when you were 11 to the criticism of football's selective politics (who gets condemned, and who gets a pass), excellent content is being written and compiled, pointing to the fact and the reasons why this World Cup feels especially off.

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And yet, when Somali referee Omar Artan landed back home after being denied entry to the US, he was received as a hero. That image of a small crowd celebrating a man who never got to even step on the stage might be the most World Cup thing that's happened so far. And it’s the kind of thing that makes me wonder: can this be an ideal moment for the good football to shine?

Could the bad and the ugly serve as an opportunity for the good to speak louder and steal the spotlight? Could it be that the brands, institutions, and people who choose to stand for the real football end up becoming the story, gaining headlines, audiences, brand value, and genuine support; everything the bad football is trying so hard to manufacture.

Could this World Cup actually help us prove the point that the good football is what could actually save football, drive business and build more value for the game and the brands involved in it? I’m willing to find out.

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In the upcoming weeks, I'll be sending weekly dispatches, intentionally looking for the good football in the World Cup, and sharing what I spot here. I'll also be closely following whether the good football actually moves the needle for brands, for audiences, for the game itself, and reporting back as I go.

If that’s what you’re into, stay tuned (and maybe share this so more people can be inspired by the good side of football)!

Check out the good links below for the first sightings of the good football in these first couple of days.

See you next week!

THE GOOD LINKS

🐻​ 2026 Berlin Indie Football Festival!!! Will I see you there?

😲​ Are you already using the Trionda emoji on Whatsapp?

5️⃣​ This list of the five things you can do to reconnect with football while feeling hopeless.

💫​ Raul Jimenez serving us an epic, the-good-football coded moment in the opening match.

🦘 This video from the Socceroos is the second reason that makes me want to support them (the first being Jackson Irvine, of course).

👱‍♂️​ Speaking of Mr Irvine, here’s a video of him defending the good football.

​📺​ A brand in Argentina is giving free TVs to fans whose visas were denied.

🍎​ NYC’s beautiful World Cup campaign.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

The NTS Breakfast with Flo show is the best company for those of us who work from home and sometimes get tired of the Spotify algorithm.

January & February Favourites

The Good Stuff - Vol VII

“Es que te veo volviendo a ser tú misma”

These were more or less the words (loosely translated to “I see you coming back to yourself”) said to me by a dear friend the other day. Not coincidentally, these were the same words I had thought to myself a couple of days earlier, when I did something very mundane, but also very me.

During the time that preceded this, I lost myself a bit in a whirlwind of tasks, changes, decisions, and things that blurred my sense of self for a bit. In those days, what actually kept me was people. I leaned on those closest to me to be reminded of myself.

When I pull the human thread that helped me through this, I get back to the days spent in Brazil earlier this year, where I could feel myself held by the places and people I knew first in the world.

And when I look at what else inspired and motivated me these past weeks, I see more humans doing human things. Turns out that's still where it’s at, even with all the AI talk going around (not you, Claude, thank you for all your assistance).

Berlin Indie Football Festival

I’m super excited to be in Berlin this summer to take part in the Indie Football Festival, created and brought to life by the great . Watching Andrew brew this idea from scratch and pull it off with such excellence has been truly inspiring and motivating. I feel honoured to be a part of this project, and can’t wait to connect with great people out there who also dream, imagine and work for a better football and a better world through football.

You can join us there — grab your tickets here! If you can’t make it for any reason, consider buying the cool merch or donating just because, to support indie football!

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Fulham Lillies’ Game Changers

Speaking of feeling honoured and grateful, turns out there are more people who want to hear what I have to say about football (!), and I will be in London in August to join the Fulham Lillies’ Game Changers event. I looove to share the room with fellow women who love and/or work in football, and I could not be more excited for this chat. Thanks to my dear and die-hard Fulham friend , for talking me up and opening doors for me.

If you’re in town, get your free tickets here.

Identidad en Juego, Thaylor Aldama’s book

I met Thaylor through my work with Fútbol Más, and since I learned he was finishing a book, I started counting the days until I could read it. It did not disappoint. I learned about perspective, identity, belonging, racism in Spanish football, and fragments of human history that led us to this moment right now. Thaylor is a Basque footballer who, by telling his story, is telling us about the journey of countless others, and rising as a leader to speak up about and change this reality. Here’s a list of where you can find Thaylor’s book in Spain (in Spanish).

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La cuarta, Ewa, and Alexia 🏆

After barely making it to the end of the first half alive, I got to celebrate Barça Femení’s fourth UWCL title! This was the cherry on top of a perfect season for these ladies, but especially for Ewa Pajor. It’s impossible not to be happy for her and inspired by her story once you learn that this was actually her sixth UWCL final, and first title! I would love to learn more about the inner dialogue, work, and strength behind all that we know and see on the outside. I loved Alexia Putellas’ take on it; she said, “The fact that she's always there isn't luck". Her perspective is set on the other side of where our eyes tend to land first, which are the losses. But, truly, the fact that this woman was present in SIX Champions League finals with different teams speaks loudly about her talent. Well deserved, Pajor, hats off.

That inevitably leads me to think of Alexia’s farewell. I don’t think I have big enough words to fit the meaning of her importance to the club, talent, and legacy. In many ways, Alexia transformed football, and I always knew I was watching history. Every game, I'd quietly thank God for giving me eyes to see it this close, and the Johan Cruyff stands are my witness.

Fútbol Más winning the Laureus Sport For Good award

My friends, who became my clients and, because they are who they are, became a team I feel a part of, won the most relevant Sport for Good award! The Laureus award recognises the impact of the work they’ve been doing for years in different countries, including here in Spain. In their hands, football becomes a tool to truly transform lives and communities. How? They developed their own methodology that connects a person's inner emotions with their everyday social relationships, and allows them to promote inclusion, values, mental health, and more through sport.

Being able to closely watch them working has been so incredible; the more I learn about the day-to-day of each person in there, from educators to project managers, the more in awe I am of the amount of effort, care, and soul they put into this. No wonder the world is now recognising it all. Seeing them get their flowers was like a breath of fresh air and extra motivation to remind me why I am where I am and do what I do.

Follow them to get a better glimpse of what I’m talking about.

Birthday, goals, and love at Camp Nou

The second leg of the semifinals against Bayern Munich fell right on my birthday, and at the Camp Nou. How dare you not believe in magic?

I was gifted with an amazing game, four goals, Aitana’s return and, most importantly, the life of these amazing friends I’ve got who make anywhere feel like home, and love me so well. May this love find and keep finding you, too.

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Pioneras (Another League)

I didn’t really know what to expect when I went to a screening of Pioneras and, well, I laughed, cried, and left the theatre determined to change the world and football and start a female revolution. This movie is inspired by the story of the first unrecognised, unofficial Spanish women's national football team, and it’s truly a gem. Five stars and a heart on my Letterboxd.

The eternal love story of Brazilians & the World Cup

One of the several unfinished drafts I’ve got in my Substack dashboard was all about how I was struggling to find the spirit of the World Cup this time. What can I tell you, it has found me, and struck me right on the heart, and now I’m daring to believe we’re going to win this.

It’s been too long since I’ve been in Brazil during a World Cup, and I so wish I were there. The shared sentiment and collective experience that happens there every four years is a kind of wonder that is hard to explain to those who aren’t Brazilian and a symptom of the hopeful stubbornness of our people who, as the incomparable Milton Nascimento would say, “have the strange habit of having faith in life”.

How dare I not believe in magic when I grew up in a country that every four years rallies around a squad and sends them off as if they were going to fight the most important battle of their lives; that paints and decorates streets, malls, bars, and homes, shuts down entire cities just to stare at a screen together, all in hopes of that cathartic feeling of being, again, the best nation at the art of football?

I'm only human. Here we go again.

Oh, and one more thing that held me through: this song.

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THE GOOD LINKS

🪩​ This illustration.

😮‍💨​ Furacão’s classy new away kit (also, our new mascot is completely insane and I love him.)

🔥​ Excuse me, Damson Idris, WHAT?

💅​ Borja Iglesias making it to the World Cup for the first time at 33.

🇧🇷​ This brilliant work of art.

✨​ Her.

😍 More incredible illustrations.

🤌​ This IKEA ad ahead of the UWCL final in Oslo.

👏 LFC Foundation’s programme supporting Black and marginalised women and girls in sport.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

This article from , one of my favourite newsletters.

The Good Stuff - Vol VII

November Favourites

Pardon my absence, I was home. And then I was homesick — at home. Things can get very confusing inside the head and heart of an immigrant.

I was back in Brazil after a long time, and being home stirred so many things in me, and the rippling still goes on. As I process and let myself be affected by everything that happened there, it’s been challenging to organise my thoughts and ideas about what’s going on in the (football) world. Some things feel too big, others ridiculously small. In general, a lot of them got me feeling like this:

I do have thoughts I want to share with you once I can better articulate them, and hopefully, I can get back into a more consistent rhythm sooner than later. We also have about three months to get excited about the World Cup — I, for one, am failing miserably. More to come about that.

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While my favourite things from these past months had little to nothing to do with football, here’s a hand-picked list of the ones that do. Usually, the full list of the monthly favourites goes to paid subscribers only, but this time, I thought I could try to compensate for the lack of content by making it available to everyone, and adding the good links at the end too.

Home games

While in Curitiba, I went to every single home game I could. Lucky for me, all Brazilian leagues started earlier this year because of the World Cup, and I was actually able to attend quite a few games. And my hot take is that football was made to be experienced like this. You and your home team, and your mom & dad and your friends, where you know the lyrics to all the silly chants with popcorn in one hand and a beer in the other.

Living and working in football in Europe has allowed me to go to stadiums and watch games that are the stuff of dreams — and I’m thankful for that every day. I even found myself a “local team” in Barça Femení. But it turns out that there is really no place like home.

Meeting Fundação Clube Athletico Paranaense

Continuing on the topic of Clube Athletico Paranaense, I had the privilege to connect with old and new friends who work at the club, and they generously introduced me to the Foundation and its work. I knew a bit about them, but was so happy to learn about the great initiatives, big plans for the future, and the awesome people leading the efforts. Oh, how good it is to find The Good Football in your team and feel validated in the slightly irrational love you feel for it.

One of the best things I learned about was the multisensory room they opened last year - a place where neurodivergent fans can have a better experience at the stadium:

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Arsenal x Corinthians

Following the first FIFA Women's Champions Cup was a fun ride. Like most Brazilians, I was rooting for the Brabas, Corinthians’ women’s team, and they did not disappoint us. It was so exciting to watch as they gave Arsenal a real hard time beating them and snatching another cup. The best part of the whole thing was surely watching the London kids in the stands mimicking the famous Corinthians’ fans signature celebration poropopó.

Long live (Brazilian) women’s football!

The work I don't always talk about

Maybe it’s because of all the stirred-up emotions, but these past couple of months I’ve been especially moved by the impact of my clients’ work — and incredibly thankful to play a part in it.

I’ve had moments in meetings, or simply taking in the range and scope of what they do, thinking about the people behind each effort and decision that are ultimately helping change lives, especially the youngest ones, through sport.

One experience in particular almost made me tear up at a very inappropriate time. We were shooting an activity with young participants (and a special guest 👀) for an upcoming campaign, and part of it involved talking about dreams. I sat there listening to these kids share what they dream of, and somewhere in between I started thinking about my own — realising I hadn’t really done that in a while. It hit me that that very moment was something I had once dreamed of, and worked hard to get to. Being able to work at the intersection of the things I love and believe in is a quiet kind of privilege, and I don’t take it lightly.

If you want to see some of this work in the world, check out what adidas Foundation and Fútbol Más España, are doing. There's more coming from both of them soon.

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CE Europa x Top Manta jersey

When your friend sends you a message asking if you want to go support a local women’s team, you say yes. And so we went. It happened to be the day CE Europa was promoting their new special edition t-shirt in partnership with Top Manta, a local social and charitable clothing brand. They are beautiful, high-quality, and ethically made, and you can buy yours here.

Sun, friends, football, and a chic antiracist t-shirt? Sounds like the perfect Sunday to me.

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THE GOOD LINKS

✍🏿​ How not to talk about racism in football, a must-read on by .

💥​ The new Bohemian FC women’s away kit has it all: looks, story, and impact (hopefully, Spotify is taking notes? ​😬​).

🤌​ This very important video by the CF Badalona men’s team.

📚​ This cool initiative by Chelsea defender Levy Colwill.

🤝​ When Corinthians Women visited the non-league (and original!) Corinthian-Casuals.

🗣️​ All the Wolves + João Gomes content on speech impediments that came out recently, including this conversation.

🖼️​ These AFCON moments turned into art.

🎀​​ This, and then having mini versions for the Barbie dolls.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

🍿 If you still haven’t watched The Secret Agent, you’re missing out.

🇧🇷​ I recently got back to this Tiny Desk, and it’s all I’m listening to these days.

November Favourites

When Football Does More: What we learned from Premier League Foundations

I hope this email finds you unsure about what day of the week it is, with full hearts and bellies.

Ah! That time of the year when we can’t really tell what day it is, and every day is just today. Something between Christmas and New Year’s, when nothing really happens.

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I’m back in the summer, and my soul is happy again. Resting a bit, working a bit, taking some time to reflect on the past year, and dreaming of the new one ahead. Since I still haven’t found the inspiration to write the end-of-year post I wanted to write, I thought I’d gift you the list I know you love — plus some good material to keep you entertained during the holiday break (or lunch break, if you’re working. You’ve got this!)

Here are some of my favourite things to follow, watch, read, and look at lately. Enjoy!

Art & such

✂️​ The Goal Frames Instagram account is so good. The R9 collage might be my favourite.

​🎨 dancimmermann’s work is incredible.

🖼️ sarfo emmanuel annor, a photographer from Ghana whose photos should truly be hanging on the Louvre.

👏🏽​ I love finding and sharing the work of Brazilian artists, and gabrieldiogo.ilustra doesn’t disappoint.

9️⃣​ jeoanjoao: another great artist, another R9 portrait.

😍​ I want this Djavan + Seleção shirt so bad.

✨​ Slowprojects’ things are also beautiful to look at.

Campaigns

🚺​ Using empty seats to raise awareness about gender violence.

📱​ I really enjoyed this Google Pixel x Arsenal piece (and now I want to go to Bilbao.)

🇳🇬​ When Villarreal taught their fans how to correctly pronounce the new player’s name.

💡 Southampton F.C.’s excellent marketing case.

🥹​ These sweet Christmas cards created by kids in different projects implemented by my friends (and clients 💚​) at Fútbol Más España.

Substacks

by

SportsVerse by

by

Miscellaneous

​📚​ Starting off with a bit of self-promotion, we recently launched +Bernat FC’s account. Follow and stay tuned — good stuff coming up.

​🖋️​ Letters of Note is one of my favourite Instagram accounts to follow, and this has to be one of the best letters they’ve posted.

📷 nomadic_lens_’s photography is top-notch.

👌🏽 estadiocommunale IG for those who are into fashion + football.

📖 Pitch Invasion, Karen Dobres’ book and journey as a Director at Lewes FC.

🇧🇷​ For Portuguese speakers, Falha de Cobertura (probably the funniest football show) and Por onde Andrey (impeccable storytelling and aesthetics) are my current favourite things to watch.

🙂‍↕️ glorioussport, a very cool women’s sports account.

💜​ designfc_org is an org combining creativity and impact in sport.

🤳🏿​ I love fizvancasso’s content and stories.

💥​ bia.football.club is a fun collective celebrating the love for the game. I wish I lived closer so I could attend their in-person events.

🎙️​ FIFPRO’s podcast. I’ve shared a couple of these episodes here before, and I really enjoy the conversations they have. Jackson Irvine’s interview is a great place to start.

😂​ This is completely beside the point, but this Danish team’s FT graphics make me smile every time I see them. Apparently, slut means “end” in Danish.

What’s the good stuff you’ve been enjoying lately? Reply to this email or leave a comment; I love discovering new things through you.

And if The Good Football has been good company for you this year, feel free to pass it along to someone who might enjoy it too.

Wishing you all a great start to 2026, and thank you for the company in 2025. 🤍

Share The Good Football

Without further ado, shall we jump in? Here’s what I loved the most in November:

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+Bernat FC kicks off

In the last week of November, a project I’ve been working on for quite a while finally made its debut. +Bernat Football Club is an idea built together with Fernando Pelayo, (the best!) bookman at +Bernat (an iconic bookshop in Barcelona you should visit). It was born out of a desire to create a space where people into football and topics like art, culture, social impact and justice, literature, and more could get together to chat over a nice drink.

The first edition had a fantastic line-up, and I had the honour of moderating a panel titled “Football for one, football for all”, centred around both the inclusion and exclusion that the game can promote. Our guests were the incredible sports journalist and host Andrea Ginés; Jordi Grive and Hannah Royles from A.E. Ramassà; and author and visual artist Carmen Berasategui.

If you’re in Barcelona, you should definitely join us for the next edition, with date and theme still TBD. Keep an eye on the IG account!

IRL meetings in Brussels and London

Last month, I took advantage of a couple of work trips to meet up with friends and people I had never met in person. I think I say this every time I talk about these meet-ups here, but I 100% recommend putting in the effort to meet people outside of screens and have a proper chat IRL. As grateful as I am for the connections we can only make because of screens and the ~web~ that ties them together, there’s something special about exchanges that happen in the real world.

In Brussels, I got to spend some time with Harlem Lamine, talking about all things football and research, and getting shown around the city. Do check out his work and website, which, by the way, is beautiful.

In London, I of course met up with , who adventurously joined me in the away section at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea x Barça Femení (and saw Sam Kerr at M&S five minutes before I arrived). Champions nights are the best, even when the temperature is ridiculously low and the second half of the game is kind of dull.

I also got to see Lydia Crudge and Michaela Gooden, who are doing great things in women’s football, and Anika Leslie-Walker, a brilliant scholar and researching important topics around sport and sociology.

Needless to say, it was great, fun, and inspiring to meet so many incredible people. I’m already looking forward to the next meet-ups. Who should I meet next?

Thefootballgal x Adidas collab

It was SO cool to see this happening. I’m sure you all know who @thefootballgal is and probably dream of sporting a football kit personalised by her. It only makes sense that she’d land such an epic collab with Adidas, launching her own Predator boots. For some reason, watching this unfold genuinely felt like seeing a close friend succeed, and I caught myself feeling very proud and very happy for her, lol. Yet another good thing the internet brings into our lives.

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October Favourites

The Science of Liking Footballers

Hi all,

It’s me again. If you just got here, two posts in a week is not a normal pace for us, by the way. Things usually roll a little slower (and more spread out) in this corner of the internet.

But today we have a guest! I’m happy to introduce — and give the floor — to Mark Lewis and Toby Harrison from The Sports Effect. Their team works to strengthen impact across the Sport for Development sector and recently published the Football Foundations Impact Report.

In this edition, they take over the newsletter to share insights from the report and tell us how football clubs’ foundations are generating impact and how they can go even further.

Enjoy the read, and I’ll be back with the Good Links at the bottom of the page.

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Most Premier League clubs talk about their impact both on and off the pitch, but very few truly measure this properly and effectively. The gaps between a club's intention and the evidence provided are what drove us to make our Football Foundation Impact Report for the 2024/25 Premier League season, an analysis of how these club community organisations (CCOs) are really shaping their local communities.

When doing this report, it reminded us that whilst football clubs are powerful cultural anchors, their community arms vary drastically. Some merely act as PR extensions and as a marketing arm; others are truly committed to changing what community work in football should look like.

Why Football Clubs Matter

We believe that football transcends sport, serving as a universal language, a force for connection, and a catalyst for social change, setting aside class, faith, and politics for 90 minutes. This power makes these clubs uniquely placed to help tackle social issues such as inequality, isolation, and mental health.

However, our research showed that lots of this ‘power’ is underused. Many programmes still focus on arbitrary statistics, such as participation numbers, without considering what has changed as a result of their programmes. Premier League Kicks sessions help to provide crucial access in deprived areas, but without further research, may miss the underlying causes of exclusion.

The top foundations that do this well do so because they are treating football not as an end product but as an invitation to a safe space for participation, conversation, and co-design with local people to invite real change. When clubs share this power, they can look to create deeper and long-term relationships with their communities.

What We Found

Our framework assessed eight key areas of impact across each of the 20 Premier League foundations; some results were truly inspiring.

Southampton’s Saints Foundation ranked in first place; a key element of this was the rare level of full transparency. Publicly sharing stakeholder meetings, lessons learned, and even missed targets. This proof of accountability can help drive their own credibility when reporting on their programmes and targets hit.

Liverpool FC Foundation followed closely in second; a key element to their high placement was their willingness to combine genuine compassion and strategic delivery. Their Honeysuckle FC programme, which supports men affected by baby loss, demonstrates what can happen when football and empathy collide. It is a great example of mental-health work done with honesty rather than a positive image in mind.

Fulham, Everton, and Brentford completed the top five. Each of them demonstrating thoughtful practice and programmes with purpose. Fulham’s Memories sessions for older adults, Everton’s long-term Trinity Project, and Brentford’s Young Voice Group each give examples of how local relevance and listening to their communities can create value and lasting change.

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What Needs to Change

Overall, it is clear that foundations share an impressive commitment to their communities, engaging with marginalised populations and collaborating with their parent clubs. However, our data also revealed the blind spots that clubs have.

Almost none of the clubs publicly reported missed targets. Most rely on short-term or donor-led funding, and not enough clubs align their work with wider frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals; in too many cases, the impact would seem to stop at a photo for the club’s website.

Without this long-term evaluation and community feedback, there is a risk that foundations fall into a cycle of being a showcase rather than an engine of change.

Lessons and Looking Forward

The more effective foundations have key commonalities, one being intentionality; they are looking at ‘football doing more’ rather than ‘more football’. Embedding real evidence, transparency, and collaboration into the heart of their work.

At The Sports Effect, our recommendations are clear and simple: create systems that make reflection routine and practiced. Publish lessons learned, evaluate openly, and invite those in the local community to be a part of the design process, invoking real change around the club.

Football clubs hold an immense cultural influence; if these foundations embrace this with true action, purpose, and humility, they can go far beyond short-term outreach, striving to change the long-term social architecture of their communities. Transforming passion into purpose.

For the full report and to find out how we can help you, please visit our website.

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THE GOOD LINKS

🇨🇮​ ’s piece about the story of when Droga stopped a war — did he or didn’t he?

​🌸​ It’s the footballgal’s world and we’re just living in it.

🐈 The (literal) catwalk that led us to discover that my team fosters kittens at our stadium!!!!

​🔥​ The systemarosa photoshoot you’re seeing everywhere.

🕺🏿​ This steward’s vibes.

🤯​ Not your typical “footballers making a difference on and off the pitch” content. Women are such amazing creatures, really.

🥹​ This wholesome story that *almost* made me cry.

🌟​ This Timbers Army’s tifo is gold.

😭 Luana’s PK goal crowning her comeback after beating cancer. What a moment.

🧤 This former goalkeeper and her intact reflexes.

💙​ Sterling actually coaching weekly at his newly opened academy.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

🩺​ After discovering (and obsessively watching) E.R. last year, I had to give The Pitt a try when I saw Dr. Carter (iykyk) was in it. Welp — I’ve now watched all 15 episodes and immediately started rewatching them. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before. If you’re looking for a good show, you’ve found it.

😲​ So… Rosalía has a Substack. That’s it, that’s the tweet.

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The Science of Liking Footballers

September Favourites

Hi everyone,

The last edition of The Good Football quickly became one of my favourites to write, and I’m so glad many of you enjoyed reading it. Thank you for all the feedback. Thank you for the feedback, and a big welcome to the new subscribers. If you haven’t read it yet, you can catch it here.

No onto last month’s favourite football things:

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Working with Fútbol Más

I’ve been friends with the great folks from Fútbol Más España for a few years now, and a huge fan of the work they do here, using football as a tool to impact young lives. If you’re not familiar with their work, go check them out!

I recently started collaborating with them as a consultant, helping with various aspects of their communication, marketing, and brand. What a privilege it has been to have an even closer look at the impact they’re generating, and to play a small part in it too.

If you need to renew your hopes in the power of football to make the world a bit better, Fútbol Más won’t fail you. Take Jude’s word if you don’t believe mine:

This Instagram Story

Speaking of the power of football, this story really touched me. Clara is an incredibly creative and authentic content creator whom I follow mostly for the creativity, visuals, and fashion inspo. So when she shared this heartfelt note one Sunday morning about how football has changed her son’s and her family’s life, it was such a beautiful surprise.

It felt really satisfying and affirming to come across this message outside the football + impact bubble, and be reminded that this really does make a difference in the real world.

Brazil 2 x 1 England

The Brazilian Women’s national team won the friendly played against England last month, even being one woman down for most of the game. This is such a big deal! I love this for our women and for the road we have until the World Cup in 2027. I’m really hoping this can be a game-changer for the women’s football culture in Brazil.

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September Favourites

Throwback Tracks

Hello and happy Friday!

I recently had the chance to watch Marcus Rashford play (and score!) with my own eyes at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium. There, I also noticed kids holding up handmade signs with his name, and that the fans’ reaction to him throughout the match was very positive and loud.

Sure, his great start to the season helps, but considering how many stars Barça have, his appeal is remarkable. We can also tell that many corners of the media are happy to see and report on his renaissance. And I can’t help but think that part of that is because it’s easy to like him.

His high-profile advocacy in 2020 revealed his character to the world and introduced him to millions in and beyond football. Since then, he’s continued to show leadership in different ways, navigating ups and downs with the same calm, grounded presence.

But what makes footballers likable? What makes us like some more than others? What makes them an icon, a legend, a fan favourite? What makes a kid want to write their name on a poster, instead of someone else’s?

Yes, the obvious answer is talent. Performance. Results. Ultimately, the goal is to win, and players who deliver become adored, hired, sponsored, and remembered. And yet, there’s a difference between admiring someone’s skill and liking, or loving them.

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My favourite players are the ones I can connect with. The ones I admire for who they are as much as for what they do on and off the pitch. Most of the time, they also happen to play for my team.

Like Kika Nazareth, who plays for Barça Femení and the Portuguese national team and has one of the brightest personalities in football today. She’s magnetic, expressive, and naturally funny. Not surprisingly, she’s been doing lots of campaigns lately. Who wouldn’t want her to sell their products to a crowd who genuinely adores her?

Or Bento, one of the goalkeepers of the Brazilian national team, born and raised on my Furacão grounds. Even though he left Athletico Paranaense early, during his time there (and even now), he used his platform to strengthen his bond with the club that formed him. He makes us feel like we’re friends, and when he wins, it feels like we do too.

Or Jackson Irvine, who probably wouldn’t even be on my radar if it weren’t for his advocacy and personality, since I don’t follow the Bundesliga or the Socceroos. But he’s maybe my favourite footballer brand out there, seamlessly navigating fashion, music, activism, and leadership with consistency and authenticity. He makes being a footballer look cool and so in tune with the reality we live in.

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If I were to describe the perfect footballer, they would be someone who sits at the crossroads of three forces: performance, personality, and purpose. (Please believe me, I didn’t plan this 3P thing.)

I tried to map this out; here’s a (very scientific) visual representation of my research:

Even though winning is the top priority and the core of the business, football is something we experience with our hearts and guts. It’s not logical; it’s emotional. It demands stories, community, inspiration, sweat, and humanity — all the things that can’t be measured in stats.

When players chase only technical and tactical excellence, their value stays tied to trophies. But when they bring their whole selves to the game, a wider world opens up:

• They form genuine connections with fans who see themselves reflected in them

• They build identities that expand their relevance across culture, not just sport

• They earn credibility and longevity by standing for something bigger than performance

In that case, performance is one of the currencies of connection, not the only one.

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This week, I read an article on Lewis Hamilton that illustrates this perfectly: his disappointing season at Ferrari didn’t dent his brand. His identity has been built across different worlds —advocacy, fashion, culture, and leadership —and that makes it far more resilient than results alone for his fans and the brands around him.

That’s where authentic purpose comes in as a powerful, long-term asset. Personality and interests can attract niche audiences, but purpose creates broader resonance.

Of course, none of this is simple. Purpose isn’t a neutral brand asset; it’s a risk. Taking a stance can cost deals and divide fans, but it can also attract and strengthen other bonds and partnerships. Using one’s platform consciously might cost something, but not using it costs more.

This isn’t a rulebook; it’s more of a possibility that feels increasingly relevant in a sport still learning to value more than goals. It’s hard (and very unlikely) to make it to the top tier of Ballon d’Or winners and unquestionable cracks, and these other dimensions can help players at every level stand out, build loyal communities, and extend their relevance beyond the pitch.

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The way we perceive footballers has evolved. The early-2000s era of pop superstar ads has given way to players who own their own platforms, shaping their narratives with authenticity. Fandom today is niche, participatory, and personal.

Few players at the top of the game truly embrace all three dimensions (performance, personality, and purpose), but the ones who do shape a new model of greatness. Think Aitana Bonmatí, Mo Salah, Didier Drogba, Marta.

And then there’s Marcus Rashford, a player who seems to exist at that crossroads.

That night at Montjuïc, watching him play, I realized there’s something special about seeing him win. It just hits different. When he scores, it feels a bit like watching a friend succeed.

And maybe that’s the reward of having the courage to bring your whole self into a game that often asks you to shrink. You make people root for you not only for what you do, but for who you are.

Go, Rashie!

THE GOOD LINKS

🦄 The Unicorns’ new kit. Congrats, !

​💯​​ Pina being the FC26 legend. I am obsessed with this story and all the comments she’s been getting from players.

😮‍💨​ Yes to the adidas x Arsenal new drop.

👏🏿​ Dinamo Dresden’s new kit with an antiracist message.

👸🏼 This moment is everything - also, she scored this one right in front of my bare eyes.

♻️​ Oakland Root’s upcycled fashion half-time show.

🎨​ This original Emily Bisgaard.

🥹​ The mascots and the England vs Wales match.

​🫨​ Corinthians’ fans at a men’s game reacting to the women’s Libertadores win.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

🎧​ My friend created this IG account to share his favourite music discoveries, and I think you should follow it. AI DJs got nothing on Sounds Good. 😉​

💌​ The Substack by has quickly become one of my favourites. The illustrations, the content, the relatability… It’s perfect for when you just want a good read.

Throwback Tracks

August Favourites

As I sit here going through my September notes to write this newsletter, I can’t believe some of these things happened just last month. There’s been so much going on that I feel like I’ve lived six months in the past three — lots of good things, but still… lots. My days have been filled with football, work, friends, coffee, good music, and bad Brazilian soap operas. I hope your autumn is also off to a good start.

Here are the things I liked the most in the past month 👇

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First, Olivia Dean.

My absolute #1 favourite thing in September was Olivia Dean’s ✨perfect✨ no-skips new album and seeing the rest of the world fall in love with her too. Plus, I just discovered she’s another one of us football girlies, so here’s a soundtrack for your reading time:

This one moment at a CE Europa vs Barça Femení B game

We went to support a friend who plays for Barça’s youth women’s team against a very local Barcelona club in an iconic stadium tucked between buildings, with neighbours watching from their windows. The game was great, we won, our friend scored, but my favourite moment happened after the final whistle.

When we were congratulating our friend and her sweet teammate, a little girl approached them with her dad, asking if they could take a photo together. Guys. That sent me. Tears immediately started rolling down my face lol.

There’s just something about women’s football that hits me in a way the men’s game never did. The fact that we live in a world where a little girl can go to a local match, and the reality of girls playing football is so close she can touch it — and take a photo with it. And that these young players already get to be real-life models of a dream for even younger girls. That the work of every woman who came before opened the doors so that this world could exist for them.

This is the good football.

I met Camilo from @taco_perdido!

When you work remotely and all your clients and colleagues fit inside a Teams (😩) square, it feels so good to meet someone in real life and talk over a cup of coffee, especially when they’re as great as Camilo, the @taco_perdido man himself.

I’ve mentioned his IG account here before and have been a fan since the first post I came across. He’s as kind as he is talented, so if you don’t follow him yet, here’s your sign.

Also, if we haven’t met yet and you’d like to connect (in person or through a Teams/Meet square), just reply to this email!

Aitana Bonmatí’s Ballon d’Or 🏆

You can imagine how happy I was to see Aitana take another Ballon d’Or home and become the third footballer to win three of them, right next to Platini and Messi. Do you realise how important and impressive it is that there’s a woman up there now? And if the player at the top is also a good footballer… that’s everything I could have asked for.

Yet, I felt like I came across more questioning than celebration online. Many believed Mariona should have won it, considering both of their seasons, especially since the Arsenal midfielder won the Champions League. I get that. To be honest, I think it’s such a weird concept for journalists to vote and choose one best player for the season when there are so many different variables involved and everything feels so subjective and relative. Anyway, I have no ambition or commitment to be impartial here — nor do I watch football from a “neutral” lens. So I can’t tell you who should’ve won, but I can tell you that I think Aitana is the best player we’ve got right now. And that I’m 100% biased.

It’s Aitana Bonmatí’s world and we’re just living in it, baby.

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I haven’t been as busy as my team (seven wins in a row, suddenly flirting with promotion again), but I have been working on a few new projects, including some fun things for The Good Football that I’m excited to share soon.

While I cook up the new stuff, I thought I’d bring back a few of my favourite pieces, ones I loved writing and that seemed to resonate with readers, too.

To be honest, recycling good content sounds like a nice change these days, when our feeds update at a pace we just can’t keep up with.

I did come up with brand new and fun descriptions to help you pick and choose, though.

So here’s a list of posts you can revisit, read for the first time, or maybe share with someone else who’d enjoy them too.

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I’d love to hear what your favourite reads are/were, or if maybe I left your personal favourite out.

See you next time!

THE GOOD LINKS

👨​ Jackson Irvine’s website. I mean, what football player has a cool website like this one? I’m here for it.

🐈 Speaking of Aussies, did you catch Mary Fowler’s catwalk?

💀 These videos of a Catalan “giant” of Lamine Yamal’s are my friend and my latest obsession. Here, he’s dancing to the stands classic “Un día de partit”.

🥹​ The grandpas who were invited to be mascots in Betis’ game.

🩷 This video from the Rugby World Cup was my favourite internet thing this past week.

​🍲​ A queen who cooks Indian food at Man United and kinda vlogs about it.

​🥲​ And this little girl.

🙌🏾​ is back!!

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

I recently came across this post from Rosalía, and I’ve been thinking a lot about it ever since.

The Good Stuff - Vol VII

July Favourites

It’s September. Summer is starting to leave us, 2025 has peaked, it’s soon going to be dark at 5 pm, and it’s all officially downhill from here, year-wise.

Just kidding. I’m actually excited about the season change and this extra New Year’s Day we get when September comes around. I’ve been doing a lot of dreaming, planning, and writing for The Good Football, and I’m hoping to bring these ideas to life sooner rather than later. Stick around!

Ok, here are the football-related things I liked the most in August:

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London!!!

I got to spend a weekend in London, and it was as great as it was short. I absolutely love the diversity of faces, colours, cultures, and styles that hit me as soon as I set foot in the city, and how much richness it adds to a place.

The list of football highlights includes the thrill of experiencing football constantly, everywhere. Maybe it’s true that we find what we’re looking for, and if so, I’m glad my eyes are trained to spot the different jerseys and groups of people heading to the game or the pub to watch a match.

I also got to spend time with , who took me to Richmond and gave me an exclusive and personalized Ted Lasso tour. You can imagine my excitement, and I still can’t believe we sat down at the Prince’s Head pub and had a drink. Still, my favourite part was the conversation we shared about our experiences, struggles, and dreams in this life and industry. I’m so thankful to be surrounded by and connected to people as smart, fun, and kind as Hayley who, from a client, became a friend. If you don’t follow her yet, you’re snoozing, by the way.

I left London with the desire to go back soon and more often—despite the price of coffee. As I get more engaged with women’s football, I know it’s a key hub for those wanting to shape the game, and I’m signing up for that. So, yeah, I’m officially looking for clients and projects over the pond. If you’re in London and have ideas, let’s talk.

Marta at the Copa América Femenina

August started with Brazil snatching the Copa América Femenina in a journey worthy of a movie, especially for our one and only queen, Marta. The 38-year-old, arguably the actual GOAT of women’s football, is not only not too old for the game, but she was pivotal in our win in Colombia last month. She deserves all the flowers we can give her, and I hope this was a prelude to the World Cup win that will crown her outstanding, legendary, trailblazing career.

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July favourites

Football’s Groundhog Day

Hey there!

I hope everyone is having a great summer - or winter, if you’re in the southern (and arguably best) part of the world.

I’m trying to obey the season’s rhythm and take things slower, so I prepared this edition of The Good Stuff, with a list of all the things I’ve been enjoying reading, watching, and following, and a few good finds. Hope you like them too!

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Before we get into the list, let’s take a moment to appreciate Mo Salah’s courageous stance, which he shared on his Instagram. For context, you can read this Versus post with a closer look at Palestinian footballer Suleiman Obeid’s story and his death, which happened while waiting for humanitarian aid to feed his family.

Salah consistently speaks up and takes action on different social causes and issues, and his response to UEFA’s post is another example of that. This is also the good football.

Now, onto the list:

🎨​ Taco Perdido’s art might be one of the best football artists out there.

⚽​ Riserve’s platform and newsletter, which, by the way, kindly featured an interview with me about The Good Football and my work earlier this year, is the brainchild of Naomi Accardi. She created this space to connect football creatives with brands looking for talent for their projects. It’s a great initiative, and the content around it is just as strong.

😍​ I’m in love with Emily Bisgaard’s art. The way she portrays football is so unique and stylish.

🌟​ SEASON zine’s content and visuals are gold.

🧤 Name something cooler than 90’s goalie shirts.

​✏️​ Miki Noelle is a Barça fan and creative who designs cool stickers and hides them around Barcelona. I love his content, and lately, it’s been great to see his work being recognized and featured in different projects.

🌍​ The Sports and Geopolitics newsletter is one of my current favourites to read. Such interesting topics and stories, perfectly suited for all the football and history nerds out there.

​📩​ Post-Culture is a recent discovery that also became one of my favourite reads. It leans more on the branding side of things, but I bet this post on brands championing women’s football is everyone’s cup of tea.

🏆​ SportsVerse is another newsletter I’ve enjoyed lately. Good analysis about current happenings in the world of sports brands.

♻️​ Royale Union Saint-Gilloise’s decision to reuse last season’s kit is very important.

🪩 Noah Lennon’s account and his “a ball a day” project. Art plus great creative references.

🎞️​ Andrew Tallon’s film photography account. I started following him for the football content and stayed for everything else. The film wedding photoshoots are such a vibe.

📷​ The Atlantic Dispatch is a great combination of good storytelling and nice visuals.

🇧🇷​ For Portuguese speakers, the Embaixada account has excellent content.

✨​ Futebol de Tostões is a recent discovery and another aesthetically pleasing account to follow.

🆒​ Crossbar’s feed and IG stories are a feast of football upcycling and vintage vibes.

💡​ Alexander Thomas was featured on the July favourites post, but I couldn’t leave him out of this list. His IG stories are a gem, with football photography analysis and fun rants - all the good stuff.

🖼️​ Offside Sports Photography’s account of archive football photos is so good. It leans on nostalgia but maintains relevancy. I just love the concept of posts of old photos getting attention in this content economy when there is something new (and not necessarily good) being created every second.

🥹​ This video that’s an ode to late bloomers in football. “Good things come to those who wait”.

​💃🏻​ Is women’s football reforming the visual culture of sport? Watch the video.

💎 This beautiful story shared on the Goal Global account.

🔖 Ajax’s rebranding case study.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

Out of the Blue has been my favourite newsletter for years now, and one of the only ones that I read religiously.

This video

My friend Toninho has a beautiful newsletter in which he basically sends you a photo every now and then, and it feels like getting a postcard.

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Football’s Groundhog Day

June favorites

Happy August!

The month when nothing seems to function here in Barcelona, and you might just find a piece of paper stuck to the door telling you the shop’s closed for the holidays.

It kinda forces us to take it easy too, and enjoy the nice weather, good beaches, and slower days. I still forget that this is what August is supposed to feel like and what it allows us to be, coming from the southern hemisphere and all, and I’m happily trying to be better at taking hints from the seasons on how I can approach life at the moment.

Women’s EURO

Of course, this was the main topic of the past month, and, even though I’m still sad and a bit bitter about Spain losing the final, it was such a great ride to watch the games and soak up all the content about excited crowds, emotional fans, and records being broken. I also got to help the adidas Foundation tell the story of “Legacy for the Future”, their project in collaboration with the UEFA Foundation, created to leave a lasting legacy for girls and women in the participating countries through local partner organisations. What an honour!

I also happened to be in Berlin during the first week of the Euros and got to experience a game there. Remember I told you about Andrew Weber in the June favourites post? We met in person and watched a game at a packed open-air biergarten. I got to meet his friends (who are all great, by the way. Hello mates 👋​ if you’re reading this!), he met a friend of mine, and it was just such a good time. Not only did I get a bit emotional seeing so many people gathering to watch women’s football, but it was also really cool to have these connections happening because of The Good Football.

I hope the Euros’ popularity, success, and growth also spill over into the Copa América Femenina, WAFCON, Women’s Asian Cup, and beyond. The world deserves to experience women’s football this fully, and the game deserves to be appreciated like that.

A summer course on documentary writing

I went back to school for two weeks to study scriptwriting for documentaries at ESCAC, a great film school here in Barcelona. I saw an ad on Instagram and decided to go for it, and it turned out to be such a great experience that added so much and brought new perspectives to my writing and storytelling.

One of the highlights was the daily exercise we did: writing about something we’d seen or experienced in the past 24 hours. It’s incredible how such a simple practice can make you more observant of the world around you, and how you can give new meaning to what you see, just by telling it. Thank you to my teacher Joan Pamiès, who also turned out to be a bit of a football freak like us.

I went into the course not really knowing what to expect, and I definitely wasn’t expecting to leave with an idea for a The Good Football short doc series. Who knows what might happen now. 👀

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June favorites

A lot of life, a little bit of football

Hey there!

Before anything, I want to thank you for the responses to the post about my grandpa. Thank you for taking the time to read something that falls a bit outside our usual realm. I’m still receiving messages and comments that warm my heart. You are the best.

Now we need to talk about Jess Carter.

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In case you missed it, last Sunday Jess Carter published a statement announcing her decision to step back from social media because of the racist attacks she’s been receiving during the Euros.

When I first saw her post, I was struck by how unsurprised I was. This is not ok. It shouldn’t be normal for episodes like this to happen in football, or anywhere for that matter. I don’t want to feel disappointed but not surprised by this kind of news.

I usually like to take time to listen and reflect before writing about situations like these, rather than reacting right away. In fact, I’ve got a draft I’ve been sitting on for a while now, and this felt like the right moment to finally share it. Instead of updating and adapting it, I want to share it as a snapshot of that moment. A journal entry that captured my thoughts and feelings back in March.

Barcelona, March 2025

So, apparently, Juventus is going to the moon. And at SXSW, everyone is talking about AI, technology, innovation, and how these are already changing everything around us.

The world keeps changing; technology is evolving at a frantic, impossible-to-keep-up-with pace, affecting everything, everywhere, including football. We keep hearing about all the things that will be made easier, faster, better in the next months and years.

Yet last Thursday, a 18-year-old footballer cried after being racially abused during a match.

In a heartbreaking video that spread widely on social media, Luighi, Palmeiras’ U-20 striker, reacts in tears and disbelief to a reporter who ignored the incident and jumped straight into another question. Luighi’s immediate reaction was to ask, “Are you seriously not going to ask me about the attack I suffered?”

The fact that a U-20 athlete had to tell the reporter what the real post-match agenda was is embarrassing. Luighi’s spontaneous statement exposed the warped priorities in football.

“What is Conmebol going to do about it? Or CBF, I don’t know. You weren’t going to ask about it, were you? You weren’t. What happened today was a crime.”

On the other side, the reporter’s silence is a stark reminder of how unprepared and indifferent football still is in the face of racism. Black athletes are left to endure abuse alone, again and again.

Technology and innovation are changing and improving the game at many levels. Still, nobody seems to know how to tackle the big, persistent issue of racism in football. Or they keep pretending they don’t know, while there is an obvious obligation to protect the most fundamental pieces in the engine that makes this industry work. Providing a safe work environment for athletes is the bare minimum, and it’s not being met.

What happened in Paraguay that Thursday night should be absolutely unacceptable. And, at this point in history, completely solvable.

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Four months later, here we are again. In that time, surely many more cases of racist abuse in football have happened, and not enough has been done.

The same feeling of indignation follows me. How are we here again? Watching athletes being abused at work while governing bodies and industry stakeholders respond with the same empty statements that only reveal them as inept allies. We can’t accept that those working in football continue to act as if they have no idea how to confront racism and protect players.

Most statements and responses seem to address the reaction to the issue, but not the issue itself. They say what they think has to be said, or what people want to hear. They think of brand image and PR crisis management, but not the root of the problem.

Until players are truly put at the center, and solutions come from listening to them and working to fix the real issue, we’ll stay trapped in this awful cycle.

By taking a public stand and speaking up about what happened, Jess, like many other players, is owning the narrative and taking the initiative that should never have fallen solely on them. It’s powerful, and it shows her leadership and courage, but it shouldn’t be like this. Federations, clubs, and sponsors should be stepping up and shielding her by anticipating solutions.

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I spent the last couple of days listening to what the women of colour I follow had to say about this, and the exhaustion is clear across the board, far more profound than my own. I highly recommend following Hayley Bennett, , Felicia Pennant, Eniola Aluko, and more - share more names in the comments, please.

’s insights were, as always, sharp and opened my eyes to even more layers of this issue:

On her stories, Eniola Aluko pointed out that players can use legal means to hold social media platforms accountable for the abuse happening on their digital grounds. And in this excellent piece, breaks down the impact of the media on racism and perception of black players in women’s football.

I know my voice shouldn’t be the loudest in this conversation, and it isn’t meant to be. I still felt it was important to share these thoughts here, but if you take one thing from this, please keep listening to and amplifying the women and men of colour who keep pushing this fight forward.

I’m left with one conviction and many questions. It’s clear the industry is failing Black athletes, and protecting them is not a priority. The questions that linger are: how long and what more will it take for real change to happen? When will Black voices be brought in not just to teach how to respond but to lead the solutions to racism in the first place? When will this be treated with the urgency and seriousness it demands?

I hope (and work for, with the tools I have) that the push to make football better won’t stop at shiny new tech, but will finally tackle what really matters: the people at its heart.

THE GOOD LINKS

👨🏻 Y’all, he’s officially back.

😍​ A wholesome video.

🙂‍↕️​ If there’s a right way to present a new fashion collection, it’s this.

​👸🏻​ Her.

🇵🇹​ This video for the Portuguese women’s national team at the Euros.

🗣️​ Aitana’s response here. I’m a stan.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

🥺​ Did you also cry watching the viral Tiny Chef video? I’ll go to the trenches for him!!!

​🎧​ I’ve been completely obsessed with Olivia Dean for a few years now, and lately her curated playlists are my go-to for finding new music. Anyone else feel that AI is killing music discovery at Spotify? Everything is now “made for me,” but that only means Olivia Dean is in every playlist, lol. I miss Noisetrade.

A lot of life, a little bit of football

Dear Aitana,

Happy New Month!

So… I’m trying something new.

I want to test a lighter format for paid posts: sharing some of my favorite things from the past month with you, football-related and beyond.

I’m hoping it also becomes a space where I can hear back from you, and let you shape The Good Football in some way.

Shall we give it a try?

Female players’ paid partnerships flooding my feed

I follow my favorite players on Instagram, and lately, I noticed my feed has been filled with their paid partnership posts. Maybe it’s the Women’s EURO anticipation, or FIFA dates for Brazilian players, but I like to think brands are finally catching on.

It brings me so much joy to see every single ad posted by Kika, Aitana, Kerolini, Alexia, Paralluelo, Graham, Patri, and more. I happily engage with them all because I want these women’s faces everywhere, from my feed to my city streets. Bring on the ads cause I’ll watch and click on all of them!

Los Williams

I binge-watched a few (too many?) sports documentaries in June, and Los Williams was by far my favorite. The film tells the story of Iñaki and Nico Williams, the brothers who play for Athletic Bilbao, and their family’s journey from Ghana to the Basque Country in Spain.

It’s a movie about immigration, family, the courage and strength that carry dreams forward, and football, of course. Beautifully made and totally worth a watch.

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Dear Aitana,

How to lose a fan in 100 years

Earlier this month, my grandpa left this weird world after 106, almost 107, years very well lived. Can you imagine living that many years, and it still not being enough for those who love you and stayed? He’s one of my favourite people in the most literal sense of the phrase, and I don’t know anyone who has met him and didn’t love him.

This won’t be a “what football brands can learn from my grandpa” kind of post. No LinkedIn-style lesson stretching. I just want to dedicate this to his memory and tell you a little bit about him. But the thing is, if I’m talking about him, it’s impossible not to talk about football.

Amid all the colours, sounds, smells, and memories stored in my mind from the lifetime we shared — the colours of his house, the sound of his cavaquinho, the laughs, the jokes he’d always tell — football is always there, mixed into it all.

Whenever I visited on a Saturday or Sunday, the TV was probably tuned to a match — it didn’t matter who was playing. That, chorinho, laughter, and birdsong were the sounds of his house. He wouldn’t wear football jerseys because he hated shirts “that had to be put on through your head,” but I still remember the saddle on his bicycle, stamped with a big Botafogo logo.

He played for the local team in his youth, back when player positions still had English names. We used to make him list them out for us, just to hear how they pronounced them. It was a mix of phonetic invention and not knowing what the words even meant that always cracked us up.

He met my grandma in the stands of that same local pitch where he played. He saw all five of Brazil’s World Cup wins, and all the great players play — according to him, no one was better than Pelé. Who are we, non-eyewitnesses, to disagree?

I watched my team win the Brazilian league in 2001 from his living room. And in 2006, I was there again, crying, when Thierry Henry scored that goal against Brazil.

Our last conversation was about the Women’s Champions League final, which he’d watched with my dad because I was there. We agreed it was a shame we didn’t win, especially since Barça was one of his favourite teams. He was culer before it was cool.

It wasn’t him who introduced me to women’s football, and I didn’t inherit the love for my team from him, but he always embraced the things I loved (and happily co-disliked the ones I didn’t). Because of me, he was also a Furacão fan.

Watching football with him was always just fun. I never saw him angry or aggressive toward the other team, never bitter or overinvested. I might need to investigate where that gene mutated in me. Ahem. He did pass on an aversion to Flamengo, but even that was endearing, because he’d only talk trash using fancy, perfectly pronounced words. If someone teased him about his team, he’d laugh with them. Usually, he was the first to joke about his own side.

I don’t think he ever suffered the way many of us do from loving football. Somehow, he found the perfect way to enjoy the game, and maybe that’s why it was there, with him, throughout his 106 years of life. I think there are only a few passions in this world powerful enough to last that long.

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Of course, my grandpa stories go far beyond football. He was so funny, always trying to make us laugh, or just making us laugh and often doing it without even trying. Like when, in his 90s or something, he said he’d buy an “old man mask” to wear while selling medicinal mixtures, so he’d look more believable as a wise old healer. lol.

He was also always trying to feed me something. Always baffled if I refused coffee or anything else to drink. “You’re going to eat this… dry?” he’d ask, incredulous. Coffee time was his favourite. He’d keep an eye on the clock until it was time, and when it finally was, he’d say it was time to “tomar um Cafú.” See? Football. Everywhere.

He’d buy my favourite cookies when he knew I was coming, or anything else I ever mentioned liking. One of my earliest memories is walking into his house and heading straight to the kitchen table, waiting for him to pour me a glass of capilé, a sticky-sweet, orange syrup mixed into juice that I knew would always be waiting for me at his house.

My grandpa was kind, attentive, patient, the sweetest man you could possibly meet. He was creative, faith-filled, and oh so curious, asking questions about everything. He had a rare mix of qualities that made him a 106-year-old man who was still so present in the world and in his life, right up to the end. His age was really just a number on a piece of paper (surrounded by controversy, but that’s a story for another time).

Because of him, I learned to value and appreciate seniors even more, and cultivate real friendships with them. If you’ve never tried it, I recommend it.

It is really hard to imagine a world without him, because it’s one I don’t know. Because of his old age, losing him has probably been my biggest fear for years now, especially living so far and getting less in-person time with him lately. In fact, in the past years, a handful of my biggest fears have come true, and I am still here. It’s strange to watch that change, and change me at the same time. And as tempting as it is to replace this fear with a new one — like forgetting the sound of his voice or his laugh — I want to instead make room for the feelings that are as big as him, and do my best to honour his life and legacy for the rest of mine.

And part of that, inevitably, is this platform. Or any of the work I do that aspires to do good — in and out of football. I am shaped and inspired by my grandpa’s modest, quiet life that became big and meaningful in its unassumptuousness.

There’s a lot in life I don’t know. And I still get confused about what I want sometimes. But one of the few things I do know is I want to be like my grandpa.

THE GOOD LINKS

🤯​ Everybody, look at this goal my team scored last night - hey, we’re still alive.

🍒​ This clever and very, very important campaign.

💡​ A piece on athlete climate advocacy vs investment from .

​🙂‍↕️​ Everything about this video.

👏​ An important documentary.

🇧🇷 Hey hey hey - Brazil is back in the top 4 of the FIFA Women’s World Ranking.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

​🥹​ How many times have you watched the Hamilton 10th anniversary reunion performance at the Tonys? Because I’ve lost count.

🎙️ When we thought there was no more room for a new podcast, Amy Poehler came to prove us wrong. As a Jack Black lover, I must recommend this episode as the ideal starting point.

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Previously on The Good Football:

How to lose a fan in 100 years

Can football teams gain the world without losing their soul?

Hi everyone!

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Lately, I’ve been struggling to balance all those famous spinning plates, and this was one of the first to crash to the ground. But I’m happy and excited to be back, with a few half-written drafts ready to be finished and shared with you.

For now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to address my favourite footballer, Aitana Bonmatí.

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Dear Aitana,

Ok, how do I start this?

First off, I’m sorry for writing this in English. Last weekend I wouldn’t shut up about how the journalists at the press conference should’ve just used a translator, instead of asking you and Alexia to answer in English. Sigh. But that’s beside the point. Today, I want to write you this letter in response to the interview you gave after the game last Saturday.

I was one of the thousands of culers on the stands of José Alvalade and I need you to know: I wasn’t, and couldn’t be, disappointed in you, or the team. We went to Lisbon hoping and wishing we’d win, but fully knowing we could lose. I know you were in Milan for that fateful Inter vs Barça, so I know you understand how we feel.

But even that doesn’t compare, because what you and this team are doing goes far beyond any single result.

I know we often talk about role models, legacy, and representation when it comes to women’s football. And those words do matter. But we use them so often, they start to feel a bit worn out, and still fall short of what I’m trying to express.

So I’ll try to say it in my own way.

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See, I often get frustrated because it’s hard to express how I feel about certain things well enough. Barça Femení is one of those. In fact, last Friday at the fan fest, a journalist asked me what Barça Femení means to me, and I told her it meant a connection with football that I never had before.

And that’s saying something, because the passion for football has been loud and constant in my life for as long as I can remember. But the women’s Blaugrana team opened the door to women’s football for me, and now I feel like this game is mine too.

Being on the stands in Lisbon supporting you and the team was such an honor and a joy. Seeing women on the pitch, fans wearing your names on the back of their jerseys (including mine!), groups of girlfriends together, and little girls who know all of you by name… it feels like we’re all protagonists in this game. Like we have this space where we don’t have to ask to be included or watch from the sidelines. Like we’re creating this world together, where we can be who we were never told we could be.

And a lot of that is thanks to you and the other players. For being so good at what you do, for being so considerate of us as fans, for being in ads around town and on our feeds, for speaking up for causes that matter to us. And, at the same time, being just another one of us girlies.

There is something unique about girlhood, and there is something magical about football. When those two things come together, the result is powerful.

Your presence and your power create incredible experiences for us fans, exciting opportunities for us women working in football, and a future of possibilities we can’t grasp yet, but we know it’s coming.

The loss hurts. It stings. The day after, walking around Lisbon, every time I remembered the result, I got that annoying jolt, like stubbing your toe, but not physically.

But honestly? That’s nothing compared to what you all bring us.

Now we get to dream bigger. We get to travel, make friends, fill out stadiums, celebrate, and cry together. Not as guests, not as plus-ones, but as instigators, accomplices, builders of this movement that is women’s football. Things that were inmaginable years ago and now feel normal.

So please don’t feel bad for us. Don’t think you failed us. We’ll get over the frustration - heck, we’re women. We do this all the time.

Just know how grateful we are for all the doors, paths, worlds you’ve opened for us. For making room for our dreams, our passion, and all the trophies you’ve yet to win for us.

Being on the stands supporting you and the team until the last minute is nothing but an honour, and we’re already looking forward to the next time.

Gràcies i visca el Barça Femení.

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If you enjoyed the read, you might like these too:

Watching the world expand - A tale from Bilbao 🏟️​

The Good Footballers: Aitana Bonmatí - The player of the hour is a 'crack' off the pitch too

THE GOOD LINKS

​🌸 ​The Football Gal did it again.

​🥰 ​This little girl.

👌​ A great example of how to produce good quality, relevant, and impactful content leveraging athletes’ stories.

🙏 We all want these, right?

👏 This jersey and everything it stands for.

​🐤​ I would like a framed copy of the photo of Ancelotti and the Canarinho Pistola mascot, please.

​👯‍♀️​ ​This video that pretty much sums up the spirit of today’s edition.

Can football teams gain the world without losing their soul?

Why I’m sick of seeing people make the business case for women’s football - by

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Being a football fan is so weird.

There’s this sport, and then there’s a club, which is really a company (that treats you badly most of the time). But to you, it’s much more than that. You spend your money on it, because yes, you do want another overpriced jersey that looks just slightly different from the ones you already have. Or another jacket, vintage shirt, scarf, or really anything they slap your team’s colours and logo on.

Then there are 11 guys (and, if you’re lucky, women) on the pitch, one dude on the sidelines yelling at them, and a bunch more on the bench. These individuals hold the power to make you extremely happy or incredibly enraged. But it isn’t really about them either, because these guys eventually leave. So do the president, the board, the sponsors, and everyone else behind the scenes. But we stay.

Because what we feel is directed at something bigger. This institution, this essence, this abstract thing that somehow remains, no matter how much changes or goes downhill around it. And we can feel more or less proud of or enthusiastic about our team depending on what happens on the pitch, but the connection, the sentiment we have about it, doesn’t depend on that.

In fact, the other day I bought a necklace and earring set with tiny football players in red and black kits. It’s so ridiculous, and it makes me laugh just thinking about it, but I love it. I also recently asked my dad to stop by the “Furacão Store” back in my homeland, and get me last year’s gorgeous goalie jersey, even though last year was one to forget.

We’ve talked about this before. In 2024, my team got relegated, ended Fernandinho’s contract (along with a few other beloved players) in the worst way possible, and shut down the women’s team to “cut costs”, which the players found out via WhatsApp. All of this in our centenary year.

If there’s a playbook for doing the opposite of the good football, you could say Athletico followed it religiously last season.

Yet here I am. Still caring, still spending money, still hoping, still getting angry.

My guess is right now you’re either judging me, perhaps even considering unsubscribing, or nodding your head because you are no stranger to this feeling.

You see, the whole premise of this newsletter and the vision that inspires my work is that generating a positive impact drives brand value, strengthens fan connection, and wins new audiences—among other benefits to people, the world, and the business.

In Athletico’s defense, especially those who I know are trying to build the good football in there, I’ll say there have been good campaigns and initiatives here and there, including a recent one against racism. But, expectations aside, it has been a weird time to love this freaking team so much.

But I’m not going anywhere, despite all the things I wish they did differently. Because being a football fan is weird. It’s irrational, infuriating, impossible to explain, but also completely understandable. If I love this thing enough to stick with it through thick and thin, of course I’m not going to walk away just because my team isn’t as committed to the good football as I wish it were.

But here’s the thing: the argument for impact in football isn’t about keeping people like me around. Clubs don’t need to fight for our loyalty. They already have it, no matter how much they take us for granted. The real opportunity, the real power, lies in expanding their world.

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When a football club leverages its unique mix of characteristics—its community, its identity, its influence, its story—to generate a positive impact, it breaks barriers of many sorts. It becomes an aspirational brand, even for those who weren’t born fans or don’t have any obvious connection to the club. Instead of just relying on tradition and inherited fandom, it actively creates new fans (and business opportunities!) by standing for something beyond itself.

Don’t get me wrong; it still affects the long-established fans. We are out here just waiting for our team to give us even more reason to love it or to give us fuel to justify our irrational passion.

A world without the good football is just smaller. And it would be even smaller if it wasn’t for the fire that the fans keep burning.

This irrational, dedicated devotion we carry as fans, this stubborn hope in our team and all that it could still be, hints at the power that lies within the game. The power that makes it capable of being more than football and having a lasting impact and legacy.

If it wasn’t for what the passion for my team allowed me to experience, I wouldn’t know the deeper dimensions of this power and possibility it holds. I wouldn’t know I wanted to pursue a career dedicated to that. I probably wouldn’t be writing this newsletter today, making you read a few hundred words about this team from the south of Brazil.

As of yesterday, March 26th, the dreadful year is behind us. Athletico Paranaense turned 101 and, as a fan, I can’t help but hope that this will be a better year for my team. I especially hope that its world becomes a tad bigger with wins both on and off the pitch.

I hope my pride in being a fan keeps up with the sentiment I have for it.

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THE GOOD LINKS

✅​ This lesson from the pandemic (I’m trying to share slide #8 with you, but I don’t think Instagram is helping me do that).

🤤​ This gift given to us by Kappa.

💙 This Brazilian football team I recently discovered. I think I need to buy their jersey.

✊🏿​ This great read by .

✨​ This masterpiece.

COMPLETELY OFFSIDE

Links that are not football-related but still worth sharing.

​🎧​ Did you know Ben Stiller and Adam Scott have a podcast about Severance? Me neither! After I caught up with the last episodes, I am now going back and listening to every single one of them, lol. Also, this video about Severance branding is 💯​.

😲 There’s a reason why everyone’s talking about the Netflix show Adolescence, and I can’t recommend it enough.

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