Cote’s devotion to partner Karlea leads her to Adelaide - and into the Reds’ sights
LOVE has brought Chile’s popular women’s soccer star Maria Jose Rojas ‘Cote’ from Santiago to Adelaide - and perhaps to Adelaide United’s W-League team.
LOVE has brought Chile’s popular women’s soccer star Maria Jose Rojas ‘Cote’ from Santiago to Adelaide - and perhaps to Adelaide United’s W-League team.
Cote has been compared to men’s Chilean superstar Alexis Sánchez for achievements and immense talent on the soccer pitch.
But her devotion to Adelaide-based partner Karlea Williams is threatening Cote’s spectacular international soccer career as she settles in Adelaide.
Cote and Karlea have made plans for a commitment ceremony, given Australia and Chile do not legally yet recognise same-sex marriages - a situation Williams would like to see changed.
“I agree with it (same sex marriage) 100 per cent,’’ whe said.
“We talk about it all the time it would be great to have that recognition and freedom, of course.”
Attacker Cote has played in the domestic national soccer leagues of Chile, the US and Germany.
She wants to win a W-League contract, with Adelaide United having shown strong interest for the past two years.
Cote has been capped 30 times and scored 20 goals for Chile, won seven championships, claimed five golden boot awards and a title in the US.
“The football wasn’t how I expected (here) and it became difficult because after I met Karlea I couldn’t leave the country,’’ Cote said.
“Everything I have done is for a reason and I don’t regret it.
“I’m trying to settle down. I know for sure I have been training so hard and I can become an asset for Adelaide United.”
For the past two years, Cote has worked her magic for SA’s women’s NPL side Adelaide University.
Her four goals in University’s 7-0 rout of Cumberland last Friday takes her record to 61 goals in 34 games.
She will feature on Tuesday night in the WNPL Cup semi-final against Fulham at Angle Park.
She is also the club’s technical director and works for Football Federation SA’s skill acquisition phase program.
“I am developing very young players under-10, under-12, under-15 and I am mentoring them,’’ Cote said.
“I do a little bit of everything to give back to Adelaide what is has given me.”
Cote was on the verge of earning a W-League contract with Adelaide when former women’s coach Ross Aloisi was in charge until July 2015.
Aloisi had targeted Cote before another former Reds boss, Jamie Harnwell, nominated her for a distinguished talent visa - one of the hardest Australian visas to obtain in 2016.
The visa is only handed to people that have “an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession, a sport, the arts, academia and research.”
Despite that, Cote has not yet landed a spot on the Reds’ W-League roster. Though that could well change.
Adelaide’s new women’s coach Ivan Karlovic says Cote is very talented.
“We’re aware of what Cote can bring to the table,’’ Karlovic said.
“We’re in the process now of identifying players for next season.”
Cote has been in a relationship with Williams, a former AIS Canberra personal trainer, since the their first date on the Riverbank Footbridge on February 28, 2015.
The couple were drawn to the Adelaide Fringe Festival’s spectacular light show on a balmy summer’s night.
They had first met in Perth through mutual friends.