‘I was a World Cup player for Mexico, now I’m on minimum wage’

Paola Lopez, a former Mexican National Footballer tells Lara Alsaid about her journey from a football pitch to the prestigious FIFA Master program stems from the power of pursuing one's dreams against all odds.

Born in Puebla, Mexico, Paola Lopez family instilled in her a love for sports from an early age. She is a middle child of three sisters, encouraged by her parents to explore various sports, from Volleyball to Basketball to Taekwondo. However, it was football that captured her heart. Her oldest sister inspires her to play football, but she soon moves to Canada, leaving Paola alone with her football.

Despite Paola’s petite stature- standing at just 1.64 meters tall- Paola discovered her talent as a goalkeeper through her determination and skill. At the age of 16, she received the opportunity to play for the U17 Mexican National Team. At that time, Paola was a goalkeeper but made her way onto the Mexico starting XI as a winger, following the footsteps of Mexican legend Jorge Campos, Paola gradually became a full-time winger for the rest of her professional career.

The idea struck at training when the same Mexican head coach who discovered Campos, coach Miguel Mejía Barón, suggested that Paola consider being an outfield player.

“At that time, we were very dominant as a team, we used to win games 10-0,” she says reminiscing.

“It was boring to be a keeper so of course I was thrilled.”

Paola is passionate about breaking barriers as a female player in a male-dominated sport. Paola's journey took her to the United States, where she pursued a college education at the University of South Florida while continuing to hone her football skills. However, her path was not without challenges. The transition to college life proved difficult. She realised that there was no real horizon for her. She played in the NCAA Division 1 American Athlete Conference league.

“The reality of a sportsperson hits you. I was playing in one of over 300 universities in division 1,”

She continued to play football in the hope that she would become a pro one day, but she didn’t enjoy her life there.

“I thought if I'm not in love with it and not happy here, it might be better to go back to Mexico.”

Ultimately she decided to return to Mexico to focus on her studies.

“Coming back was tough, in a sense it felt like a failure,” she says, explaining the feeling of knowing she wasn’t becoming a pro footballer.

“The plan was to go to the US, play for four years and become a pro.”

Despite the disappointment of not achieving her dream of becoming a professional footballer, Paola remained resilient, recognising the value of education and the opportunities that it could provide for her, especially when she academically did so well, she had numerous scholarships offered to her.

After completing her undergraduate studies in Political Science at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), Paola found herself at a crossroads. Unsure of her next steps she grappled with feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for sports broadcasting, using her platform to advocate for gender equality and social change within the world of football. Paola wanted to make a change and ensure that the next generation of female footballers would receive a much higher and more sustainable living wage.

Most of the history and progress in women’s sports have been done through policy and law change, things that aren’t too detached from the Political Science degree she has acquired.

Therefore, she became a part of the process to promote a law initiative in Mexico for minimum wage regardless of gender, which has now been accepted and gone through the legal processes and awaiting to be enforced. Paola was a very vocal player during her time on the pitch in Mexico. The Mexican women’s league is very new, and a lot of people want to see it grow.

Paola’s journey took a significant turn when she was accepted into the FIFA Master’s programme, a prestigious course that offered her the opportunity to explore a passion for sports management, business, and law. The FIFA Masters programme has been classed as one of the top-ranked sports management courses in Europe for the last ten years. However, the programme isn’t cheap and with Paola’s history as a female footballer, she had to sell her car and rely on a scholarship to be able to enrol in the course. If it wasn’t for the scholarship, Paola wouldn’t have been able to take on this opportunity.

The course is divided into three broader themes: Humanities, Business Management and Sports law. Over ten months, she has immersed herself in the world of sports, the Master allowed her to study in three different countries- England, Italy, and Switzerland- and gain invaluable insights into the global sports industry. Paola is now in her final term, spending it near the FIFA head office, in Switzerland.

Throughout her journey, Paola has remained true to herself, using a voice to advocate for causes she believes in and inspiring others to pursue their dreams. From her early days as a football player in Mexico to her current role as a FIFA Master’s student, she has never lost sight of her passion for football and her desire to make a positive impact on the world.

As she looks ahead to the future, Paola remains optimistic about the possibilities that lie ahead.

Whether she's working in sports management, broadcasting, or advocacy, she is committed to making a difference and leaving a lasting legacy in the world of football. In the end, Paola’s journey serves as a reminder that success is not defined by the trophies we win or the titles we hold, but by the impact we make in the lives we touch along the way. And for Paola Lopez, the journey is just beginning.

Paola can see herself in a few years, drinking a bit of tequila and feeling like she has contributed to something bigger than herself, and she wants to look back in the same way she's looking back at everything that has led her to where she is right now, with no regrets. Every decision we make in life will lead us to a path, some are greater than others, however, for Paola, it’s the story that matters.