On International Women’s Day, striker Ketlen Wiggers highlighted the advances and challenges of women’s football in Brazil. The greatest scorer in the history of Santos, the player expressed concern about the recent closure of teams in the sport.
According to her, the discontinuity of projects still creates insecurity for athletes.
“It’s very sad to see clubs ending, even more so when we know the history that some have in women’s football,” he told CNN.
The attacker cited the case of Avaí Kindermann, one of the most traditional teams in the sport in the country.
“Avaí Kindermann was a team with a lot of tradition and many titles. I was very sad when I saw this news”, he said.
Insecurity still exists
For Ketlen, the instability of projects in women’s football is still part of the players’ reality.
“We always have this fear that football will end at the club you are at, because we know that this happens”, he stated.
The attacker remembers that Santos himself experienced a moment of apprehension after the men’s team was relegated to Series B of the Brazilian Championship.
“When Santos fell, we had that fear too. But the female side continues to encourage it,” he said.
According to the player, the club’s decision was important to provide security to the squad.
“This shows how important it is for clubs to believe in women’s football,” he said.
Investment and growth
Ketlen believes that investment in the sport can also generate sporting and financial returns for clubs.
“Today you see many athletes being traded for . This brings returns for the clubs”, he said.
The striker also highlights that the growth of women’s football depends on continuity in projects and institutional support.
“We hope that more and more clubs will take this look at women’s football,” he stated.
Expectations for the World Cup
With Brazil scheduled for 2027, Ketlen believes the tournament can help boost the sport.
“The World Cup always brings growth. Many people start to support women’s football more,” he said.
For the attacker, the main objective is to expand the space for women in sport.
“We hope that women’s football continues to grow and increasingly value women.”
