'A once in a lifetime moment for me': Eniola Aluko becomes first sporting director at...

[ASFN Admin]

Former England striker Eniola Aluko says the chance to be part of a majority female-owned, female-run organisation was a key attraction to her new role as the first sporting director of new American NWSL club, Angel City. The Los Angeles-based team, owned by dozens of sporting greats and celebrities including tennis icons Serena Williams and Billie Jean King, as well as actress Eva Longoria, will join the United States’ biggest women’s football league from spring 2022. Women own more than 75% of the club. Aluko stepped down from a similar role at Aston Villa last week to move to the new team, whose co-founders include Hollywood star Natalie Portman and legendary former US striker and World Cup-winner, Abby Wambach, and the 34-year-old says it was an “unmissable” opportunity for her. “It’s female led. Forget football, that is powerful. That is really showing the future that we all want in terms of gender equality and diversity for leadership, a predominantly female-owned organisation,” said former Chelsea, Juventus and Birmingham City striker Aluko, who will be responsible for roster management. “Ultimately it’s very unique because it’s kind of re-writing the opportunity for women’s sport to be a standalone brand. It was unmissable, it was something I had to do. It was an ongoing conversation but, by the end of it, I thought ‘I have to do this’. It was a once-in-a lifetime moment for me.

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