Selfless Matildas pair join football’s groundbreaking movement
As women’s football continues to expand globally, pay cheques remain relatively stagnant in the female game. But that hasn’t stopped two Matildas players parting with their hard-earned for a brilliant cause.
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At 34 and 20 they represent the today and tomorrow of the Matildas — and now Aivi Luik and Alex Chidiac have shown they understand the power of football beyond the pitch.
Both players have signed up to the charity initiative begun by Manchester United star Juan Mata, Common Goal, pledging to donate 1 per cent of their salaries to a fund that supports a variety of projects effecting social change through football.
Not only do they become the second and third Australians to join Common Goal, after retiring Sydney FC captain Alex Brosque, Luik and Chidiac are the 99th and 100th players to enlist, a century of names split exactly between male and female.
Part of Ante Milicic’s World Cup-bound squad that plays a final friendly with the Netherlands early on Sunday (AEST), Luik’s involvement means five teams at the World Cup in France have players involved with Common Goal, despite the significant differences in earnings between male and female players at the elite level.
“As I head to France with Australia this summer, it’s fantastic to be able to join another team in global soccer, Common Goal, and unite behind the shared goal of creating positive impact through the sport,” said Luik.
“Just as I have experienced the growth of the women’s game during my career, I want to be part of this innovative movement that is tackling social challenges through the power of the sport we all love, regardless of our gender or how much we earn.”
The money raised by Common Goal — which was founded less than two years ago — is distributed to a network of more than 100 groups using football for programs such as refugee integration in Germany and steering children away from joining criminal gangs in Colombia.
“To welcome our first two Australian women to the team is a great pleasure and shows the global reach of this sport,” said Mata.
“But I’m especially happy as Aivi and Alex are the 99th and 100th player to join this incredible team and we have now reached a complete gender balance between female and male members in Common Goal.”
With 15 caps already Chidiac narrowly missed out on selection for France, but has the self-awareness to understand the wider position she is in.
“I feel so privileged in finding my passion early in life,” she said. “This was possible because of the love, belief and support that I received from my family and my football community back home in Australia.
“Through Common Goal I would love to somehow make a positive impact on the lives of people who haven’t had the support I’ve had, and to hopefully inspire them to believe in themselves, whatever their challenges, so that they too can find their passion and chase their dreams.”
Former Matilda Moya Dodd is on the Common Goal steering committee, and applauded the “solidarity” produced by male and female footballers working together.
“The gender balance of the Common Goal team is remarkable,” she said. “Our women players are committed to playing their part despite the enormous pay gap they face in football.
“Our male players are very active in supporting football programs with gender equality at their heart.”
Originally published as Selfless Matildas pair join football’s groundbreaking movement
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