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It was eight months of work between scouts, technical command and players. “We showed that we are a great team, that we are not only going to participate but we are going to compete,” said the forward.
The result of the South American in Ecuador was not what we dreamed of, however, it is evidence that the work of the FPF is beginning to be noticed. A group of U20 girls was part of the FIFA Girls Academy project, which began in 2018. Franco Navarro Mandayo, national team manager at the FPF, led that project. “It is known very well, at that time they were girls of 13-14 years old, today they are a reality,” he says.
“Last year there was a CONMEBOL Under 19 tournament in Uruguay and Peru placed 6th with this same group of girls. In that sense, the performance of this group in the South American is not a surprise, they did an excellent job together with the coaching staff,” he adds.
Does the U women’s team have their own place to train, how many fields do they have and how many times a week do they train? Do you concentrate before a game?
Yes, the women’s team trains at the VIDU High Performance Center on natural grass and sometimes before important matches – even – they coordinate to use the Campo Mar fields and now the new synthetic one. The team trains every day except when the CT decides to give them 1 day of rest, usually post-match. We have an exclusive dressing room. When we play in Lima there is no concentration although last year it was for the semi-finals and finals stage.
What is the annual budget for the entire campus? What is the average salary of the team?
I don’t like to comment on the topic of budget and salary, but I can tell you that the economic conditions of the girls since we took over as Administration have improved significantly over these almost 3 years.
Do all the soccer players on the squad have a professional contract?
We have had a policy since last year regarding giving contracts to some players on the women’s team. We started 2023 with 7 girls and this 2024 we have 10. There is an evaluation of performance, productivity and other items that are evaluated at each end of the year to see which girl is placed on the payroll. In addition, several of them are coaches of the Club’s women’s schools.
How does the women’s team support itself financially? How many brands bet on the women’s U?
The women’s team is supported mainly by the sponsors and agreements that the club has been managing. This is added to the box office of an important match and also the club’s own resources. This 2024 we have Marathon, Sky, San Carlos, Apuesta total, Esan, among other strategic partners that join the women’s team.
If the sporting objective this year apart is the two-time championship, what plan do you contemplate to face the Copa Libertadores?
The sporting objective is to become champions again and be able to have a better participation in the Copa Libertadores, but regardless of the final result as a club we are working on a comprehensive project that includes not only improvements in the women’s first team but also serious work in its divisions. minors. This is because we seek to contribute to the development of the discipline in the country beyond our own sporting achievements.
New winds, new house
After participation in the South American Under 20, FPF announced the first changes to continue directing the women’s teams. The first and most important was announced by Agustín Lozano, president of the Federation. “One of the main tasks is that the Videna de Chincha will be remodeled at an A1 level so that it is exclusive for women’s soccer,” he stated weeks ago.
On the other hand, Franco Navarro Mandayo told El Comercio what actions will be taken to carry out the initiative. “We are focused on renewing all the infrastructure that the FPF has and making the Chincha complex available to the women’s teams. The works will begin in the coming days, we will have an infrastructure of the highest level in the region. “We are making a lot of investment in technology issues: GPS, performance analysis software, drones, among other things,” he revealed.
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Likewise, we consult about how the women’s teams are financially supported and how much the budget allocated to them by FPF is. Navarro was emphatic in responding. “With FPF own funds, there are also budget items that are allocated directly from FIFA and/or COMMEBOL, but in a large percentage with FPF’s own funds. The budget allocated to women’s teams in 2024 is a historic budget, the budget has tripled compared to that of 2021,” he said.
“In investment in sponsorship and strategic partners for the women’s team we have grown 300% more compared to 2022. There is a significant change after being the club with the South American attendance record in the 2023 final against Alianza and the brands are more pay attention to this category”
The promising future
The plan at Videna after hiring the Brazilian Emily Lima and her entire team is to work not only on the adult women’s team but also on the training of the minors. The Sub 20, for example, was led by fellow Brazilian Jaqueline Ucella and the first fruits were seen.
“We are working from the grassroots to achieve in a few years a larger team with girls who have gone through the entire team training process,” said the national team manager at the FPF.
Meanwhile, the medium-term view is to work the bases for the Copa América 2025, still without a confirmed venue. “We are excited about the next women’s Copa América, which is a qualifier for the 2027 World Cup, the quotas have increased and I think we have the option to compete,” Navarro said.
Finally, he emphasized that the road will be long to bring women’s football to a good level. “We have to be cautious and realistic with our situation, although it is true that we have a good present, I believe that to be a South American power the entire circuit has to work: Clubs, league and federation, with work and conviction it can be achieved. ”, he concluded.
“It is an important step for women’s football, but it is important to highlight the progress we have had compared to the Sub 20 of last year. It is important to focus on how if you put a little investment into it, if you give it a more competitive tournament, “That is bearing fruit, and the fruits are these girls who all play in the women’s tournament and can compete on equal terms with the other teams.”
Source: Elcomercio
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a keen interest in sports and have written for many different publications. I am currently working as an author at 24 News Recorder. I cover mostly sports news but also write about other topics such as current affairs and politics. I have a strong interest in social media and how it can be used to engage with audiences.
