By: Mahmoud hosny
At 22 years old, Merna Farouq is the best goal - keeper in the Egyptian football league. Her ambition and consistency in the game make her a role model for what it takes to establish a fan base in a growing aspect of the game. Football is a male dominated game, but globally this is no longer the case. We are now witnessing an enormous amount of recognition and support for female footballers than ever has been. Football stadiums are packed, and tickets sell out for the champions league knockout stages for women in Spain, England, and Germany. We would love to reach the same place as these countries one day, so Merna’s views on the topic are vital.
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“When I was a child, I used to play different sports all the time. I remember I was into basketball before switching to football with a few of my friends. The people around me were very supportive, and I began falling in love with the game once my team started competing for the league,” Merna said.
“My ambition for this year is to win the Egyptian cup with my team and finish first in the league. I also hope that I can represent our national team in an honorable manner after I saw Gabaski and what he had done in the AFCON.”
Many domestic female footballers now are more than willing to leave Egypt to be professionals outside, hoping that they can receive more recognition and advanced training that will allow them to compete on the international stage. But Merna has a different opinion.
“Playing abroad as a professional might be excellent for many girls that currently practice the game, but I would love to stay in Egypt so we can improve the game domestically and reach what Europeans had reached.
” Support, financial or otherwise, is probably the main ingredient of the recipe for success. When aspiring for recognition and progress in any sport, backing by a football federation is crucial.
“The federation has been supportive, especially in the last couple of years. They have organized the Egyptian cup annually to include third-tier teams in the competition. However, I cannot say that the financial support is enough for so many girls to compete on a high level or even practice the game.”
Media attention for the whole enterprise is one of the barriers that need removing for this project to grow. More female players and coaches on television and social media would be a massive moral gain to the game.

“Any girl who intends to have a career in football has to realize that the path towards success is not easy at all. She has to focus on what she signed up for and know how to handle the media. If you love the game, do it, and do not hesitate,” Merna said.
In the age of social media and connections, everyone is entitled to an opinion. The project has undoubtedly faced much skepticism, and young female footballers have learned to adapt to unwanted and misplaced critiques. As grateful as we are for the positive aspects of this age’s media landscape, these platforms can also carry negative opinions about the players, especially in Egypt, where people still think football is a game for men.

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