Features
ALEX IWOBI ON CHILDHOOD DRIP, GIVING BACK & HANNAH MONTANA
“I want to be someone who always tries to bring a smile to people’s faces,” Alexander Iwobi tells me on the legacy he wishes to leave when the time arrives to hang up his boots.
The 26-year-old cuts a relaxed but youthful figure from his Manchester home roughly forty-five minutes from Goodison Park. Assured with his words but never lacking energy with each response he gives, Iwobi strays far from the robotic nature some athletes have become accustomed to, making him one of Gen-Z’s favourite personalities.
The Everton midfielder is speaking just a week after travelling to Belfast to support Emonsi, a multi-sports organisation focused on diversifying sports for ethnic minorities alongside his platform Project 17. “Football has given me the opportunity to enjoy life, so I’m trying to give that back to other people. I’m a normal person as well as a footballer that just loves good vibes.”
“Me especially, I don’t notice how big of an influence we have on people until, for example, I go to Northern Ireland. Sometimes I think they’ll just see me as someone else, but when you go and you see how it makes them so happy when you share your experiences, it’s life-changing.”
Alexander Iwobi at home, photographed by Shane Bain.
Born in Lagos of Nigeria, Iwobi was raised in London where his journey to the Premier League would begin, rising through the ranks at North London club Arsenal after joining as an eight-year-old.
The Gunners are known for producing well-dressed ballers. Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Serge Gnabry are just three examples and interest in fashion started young for those at Hale End, admits Iwobi. “Everyone had a look. At Hale End, in my age [group], everyone was looking to dress clean and making sure you take care of yourself with what you were wearing.”
“At that time, Chuba Akpom was the best-dressed. He got an adidas deal and he used to dress just adidas and he’d make it look sick. He had a high-top and high-tops were the thing at that time so he made it look wavey, so I’d say Chuba was the man with the drip back then.”
Though the ever-growing popularity of the Premier League allows many of its players to experience financial freedom, it wasn’t always as simple to purchase the latest trends for Iwobi: “When I was growing up, my Mum used to put me in GAP. If you had a GAP jumper at school, you were the man,” he says.
Alex Iwobi wears a Prada double match poplin shirt, photographed by Shane Bain.
“At secondary school and at all the discos, if you had the latest astros and jeans, you were the man. K Swiss’ were a big thing back then too. If you had Prada or True Religion jeans, you were the man. But me? I just about made it to Lyle & Scott and Voi jeans. I couldn’t get the True Religions, if I did I was done, my Mum would have been angry at me.”
“I had a black Ralph Lauren tracksuit with the red horse but I remember I asked my Dad to get me one and he was like ‘yeah, no problem’. “I thought something was wrong, he came back with one and the horse was facing the wrong way,” he says holding back his laughter.
“I was like nahhh, it was mad! The jockey with the stick was bent, I said to my Dad ‘nah come on man, I’d rather you just get a plain shirt than a fake ting!’ But my parents tried for me, man.”
Iwobi’s appreciation for his family comes as no surprise. The Nigerian regularly has friends – who he now labels his brothers – stay over for days at a time and today is no different. “If we’re all in the house, it’s a battle for the speaker and whose music is the loudest,” he tells me.
Alex Iwobi, photographed by Shane Bain.
“Music is a big part of my life. I’m always listening to music. Every Friday, there’s a new album that comes out so I’ll listen to the latest tunes and then during the week it’s just on shuffle. My favourite track right now? I’m going to go with my anthem, 5500 Degrees by EST Gee, Lil Baby, Rylo Rodriguez and 42 Dugg.”
The conversation on music also presents the opportunity to find out what players are listening to behind closed doors aside from the usual rotation of Lil Baby, Gunna and Drake. The topic of guilty pleasures comes up and the presence of Iwobi’s friends provides a glimpse into his everyday personality.
“My guilty pleasure? Why you smiling?”, he says in the direction of his friend Michael who is watching on in the corner of the room: “You know what I’m going to say,” Michael responds with a grin on his face. “Go on, say it,” prompts Iwobi.
“You listen to Hannah Montana and that,” Michael says sending the room into laughter. “When’s the last time I listened to Hannah Montana?,” Iwobi fires back. “There are phases because obviously, it takes me back to my youth days if I listen to High School Musical songs or something.”
The Iwobi’s, photographed by Shane Bain.
After taking a brief second to think of his ultimate guilty pleasure, he breaks into song: “Hey now, hey now,” he sings from Hilary Duff’s ‘What Dreams Are Made Of’. “That was a phase so yeah, I’ll go with Hilary Duff. At our grown ages you know,” he says shaking his head with a smile.
The increased demand from young football fans to see authenticity from athletes makes Iwobi a shining light in a sport filled with media-managed athletes and robotic personalities. Through his Instagram and Snapchat, Iwobi offers an insight into his life through daily uploads from the training ground, his home or when he’s out and about, giving his followers real-time access into the life of a footballer.
“I like to show that at the end of the day, I’m human and I’m just like everyone else. I do like to have a bit of fun, hence why I’m always with my people just bantering and vibing. Obviously, you have to take football seriously if you want to get to the top but you can have fun with it and that’s what I’m trying to show people really.”
One of the ways Iwobi has utilised his social media was through showcasing team-mate Dele Alli’s drip before his recent switch to Beşiktaş. The content, which saw Iwobi record the outfit worn by the former Tottenham midfielder at training each day, was loved by fans online with many weighing in their own opinion on each outfit. “A lot of people like to show off their personality through their fashion and Dele’s obviously one of them,” he says.
Alex Iwobi upstairs at home, photographed by Shane Bain.
“He’s someone that likes to wear loud clothes and he’s a very expressive person. Nobody is safe in my changing room. If you come in the latest drip, if you come in too nice… Because I like to come to training chilled, so if you’re coming to training a bit ‘oooo’, I’ll be like ‘oooo, where are you going?!’ But Dele loves the cameras, he loves me to put it on him and he’s always asking me like ‘Alex, come on, fit of the day’, but it’s good, everyone should dress how they want to dress.”
One of the criticisms levelled at footballers with an interest in fashion is the lack of focus on the pitch, something Dele has had to deal with heavily in recent months and the likes of Héctor Bellerín and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have also been hit with the accusation in the past.
For Iwobi, it’s about finding a balance between football and outside passions. “As long as you’re able to get that balance, you can have those other interests,” he tells me. “Some pundits will not agree with it because once a player isn’t performing to the standards they’re capable of, that’s when people are like ‘ah, he needs to relax on these other habits and focus on football’.”
“At the end of the day, we are footballers and that’s what we’re paid to do, so people want us to do the best we can for the club but if you’re able to get the balance right, then explore and do whatever makes you happy.”
Alex Iwobi at home, photographed by Shane Bain.
There’s a widespread belief in football that because of the fast cars, flashy jewellery and lavish lifestyles, players should be able to take the criticism and abuse sent their way without being affected. The ‘I’d take all the abuse in the world for that sort of money’ is a common line thrown around by many, which of course is a nonsensical ideology.
Amidst the pressures and constant demands of the game in addition to the personal life struggles we all suffer, it would be nigh-on-impossible for players to never find themselves in tough times mentally and Iwobi admits he too has found it difficult in the past. “My first couple of years with Everton, I went quiet on the media.”
“But now, with the help of Project 17, even if I’m going through bad times I’ll share that experience so people understand that it’s not always rosy, it’s not always a success story,” Iwobi reveals. “You have to go through difficult patches so that’s the only thing I’m trying to add. If I’m going through something, I can still voice it out to people.”
“Like I say, we are human. We do have emotions as well so it’s normal for us to go through mental battles. I feel like the more you’re able to speak on it and get help, the better. It’s never good to suffer in silence.”
Alex Iwobi up close, photographed by Shane Bain.
With football x fashion continuing to rise and luxury fashion brands tapping into young consumers through the use of football’s biggest stars, the NBA presents itself as a source of inspiration to many players given the fashion culture that exists in basketball. Pre-game fits, better known as tunnel fits, allow players to wear whatever they want as they arrive at each arena, encouraging the self-expression of athletes and the growth of the game by adding a new element to the sport.
In football, whilst there’s not believed to be any kind of definitive dress code, players usually rock tracksuits with club sponsors on and for the biggest games, most teams will arrive in suits. There have been early signs of it being introduced to football through Barcelona players such as Memphis Depay and Jules Koundé arriving at Camp Nou in outfits of their own choice of late and in the MLS, players regularly look to recreate the NBA culture.
Like Marcus Thuram, it’s something Iwobi would want to see in the game: “I enjoy the NBA when they walk in, I can’t lie. It looks sick. I’m sure the club want me to be coming in my tracksuit, but yeah I would go hard to games. I’d come how they [NBA players] come with their latest Goyard bags and all of that. The only thing that’s stressful would be making sure every week you’re patterned but apart from that, it looks sick and I enjoy it.”
“If they’re watching us, they must be bored sick of seeing tracksuits all the time,” Iwobi jokes. “But tunnel fits in football? I would like that.”
Alex Iwobi relaxes in his cinema room, photographed by Shane Bain.
Spending time with Iwobi was yet another reminder of why the stereotype footballers are labelled with couldn’t be further from the truth. In a life full of financial freedom and the ability to buy most that he desires, he labels a bracelet gifted to him by his Mum as the most valuable piece of clothing/jewellery he possesses.
Having suggested we cut part of the shoot out to spend less time in his hair, he reassures me we could have more time to fulfil the original plan, despite having already spent considerable time in his home on a day he had also had training.
If the character of Iwobi was not already visible by this point, the thirty-minute lift he gave me to the hotel I was staying at – preventing an expensive taxi ride and an additional train journey into the centre of Manchester – hammered home his aforementioned point. He is human like everyone else, but an incredible one at that.
Imagery Shot By: Shane Bain
Styled By: Alexander Iwobi himself
Location: Manchester, England
Amadou Onana lives every single day like it’s his last. Why? Because he knows it truly could be. “Tomorrow, everything could end,” he tells me in the aftermath of our first cover shoot of the year.
“It doesn’t matter how far you’ve made it in football or life, or who you are or where you’ve come from. It’s the same for everyone. Tomorrow, anything could end. You have to live life to the fullest and go after all of your goals.”
The Everton midfielder, who has already played professionally in multiple leagues across Europe before his 23rd birthday, speaks with the maturity and humility of a seasoned pro, though not without the enthusiasm for life of a new kid on the block with the world at his feet.
For Onana, every accomplishment in his short career so far has only been possible due to the sacrifices of the two strongest people in his life: his mother and sister.
Photography by Shane Bain.
“They played a crucial role in my journey to making it as a professional,” he says. “My sister was battling cancer at the same time she helped me get a move to Hoffenheim. To this day, she is my agent. She takes care of everything in my life. Literally everything. From a personal trainer to a chef to a mental coach, whatever I need, she takes care of it. A big shoutout to my sis. She is one of the strongest human beings I know.”
“With my Mum, she did a lot,” Onana adds. “She’s my Queen. She gave up on her life and her dreams for me. She had her own business in Senegal as a physio and gave up on all of that to move to Belgium to make her child’s dream a reality. I could never say ‘thank you’ enough to my Mum.”
Born in Colobane of Dakar, Senegal, Onana’s early life – eleven years to be exact – was spent in West Africa under the roof of a 14-member household. Though originally from Cameroon, Onana’s father lived in Belgium, the place he would first meet Onana’s mother, and therefore Brussels provided the pathway to more opportunities to not only play football but to forge a professional career in the sport.
Despite Belgium’s contribution to his journey in football, Onana’s gratitude for his upbringing in Senegal has never wavered. “Growing up in both Senegal and Belgium gave me different views about life,” he says.
“They are two different countries with two very different cultures. Growing up in Senegal gave me the family values I have now. It humbled me. I’ve been around people who didn’t have much but they lived life with happiness and would help the next person, even when their situation wasn’t the best.”
Photography by Shane Bain.
“With Belgium, I moved there when I was eleven as a young kid. I went to school there, I started my football career there and I think I learned the discipline to make it to the top level during my youth there.”
Onana, by his own admission, is a larger-than-life character. If you’re in a room with him, you will know about it. Not because of his 6’4″ frame, footballer fame or distinctive style choices, but the fearlessness he holds in his self-expression. From dancing to afrobeats to belting out Giveon’s ‘Heartbreak Anniversary’ on set, Onana is never afraid to be himself in any environment, something many athletes are progressively becoming more open to than ever before.
The Belgian believes his travels across the globe have helped shape the person and player he is today. “Growing up around the world was great for me,” he says. “It opened my eyes and my vision for life. I picked up something from every single place I’ve been.”
“In Senegal, I learned family values, creativity and the art of being yourself and doing your own thing. In Belgium, I learned about football, how the industry works and the business side of the game. Going to Germany, the German discipline is just different. You really have to follow the advice you’re given and the steps as they are to succeed.”
Now, England is Onana’s new home. Almost two years on from his switch to Everton from Ligue 1 side Lille, he is one of the Premier League’s hottest prospects with the character to match. Last January, he reportedly turned down interest from Chelsea, refusing to leave the Toffees in the midst of a relegation battle, a decision that would later help keep Everton’s Premier League status intact.
Photography by Shane Bain.
Fast forward to January of this year and once again, Onana’s name is attracting suitors. Reports of interest from both Manchester United and Arsenal are rife and Everton’s troubles with the Premier League continue, including a points deduction for allegedly breaching financial regulations. Despite this, Onana remains at Goodison Park, giving his all in every game as each Evertonian – on the pitch and in the stands – continues to do since the ruling.
“I feel very happy living in England, I’ve been accepted as I am,” he says.
“I’m a loud character and I’m quite different from other people. I think that’s normalised here, which is a great thing for me. In England, I feel like people are very open-minded. You’re accepted no matter who you are, what you come from, what religion you follow and you can be yourself.”
The importance of being yourself is something that regularly features in conversation with Onana. Whether it be from his time in Senegal or forging a career as a young player in the social media era, being unique and standing out from the crowd is a vital part of his life.
“To me, it’s very important. I can’t be anything else but myself,” he reveals.
“That’s how I’ve been raised. Being proud of who I am, what I do and where I came from. In the most humble way, there is no other human being on this planet that is exactly like me. Everyone has different characters and different views on life, so just be yourself, express yourself the way you want to and do things that you actually want to do.”
Photography by Shane Bain.
Away from football, fashion and music act as an outlet for Onana in his hunt for self-expression. If you aren’t aware of the rise of football x fashion in recent years, firstly, where have you been? Secondly, things are only getting bigger so you may need to catch up whilst you still can. Long gone are the days of athletes being required to stick to football. The new generation of players are leading a wave in which they have become the new age fashion icons and with the backing of the youth, their influence over football fans and Gen-Z consumers knows no bounds.
“Everything has evolved,” says Onana. “Back in the day, football players were just seen as football players. Now, people understand we can do a lot more than that. Football doesn’t define us. Football is not who I am, but what I do and what I love. I do loads of other stuff, like singing, modelling and fashion,” Onana reveals. “It makes me happy that everyone is opening up and showing a different side to themselves. I think it’s a great thing for the game.”
“I feel like fashion is a way of expressing myself and that’s the magic thing about it,” Onana explains, more than happy to continue diving into his fashion exploits. “You get to decide what you rock today. I express myself through the way I dress and I dress the way I feel.”
“If I wake up happy, you will see it in the way I dress with loads of colour combinations. If I’m a bit moody, I’ll go dark. It really depends on my mood and that’s what is so special about it. If I feel comfortable in it, I don’t mind wearing anything. I’ve done crazy styles before and as long as I find it fire, I’mma rock it.”
Photography by Shane Bain.
One thing about top-level athletes is that they are competitive by nature, in any and every field they play. When it comes to football and fashion, things are no different. As the niche continues to grow (a rise which saw training fits and pre-game looks introduced across club socials in Europe last season), so do the levels being displayed by each elite-level baller with a love of self-expression. Naturally, debates between players now go further than just on-the-pitch performances with wardrobe wars replacing everyday football discussions and players battling it out to be the best-dressed athletes in sport. Barcelona’s Jules Koundé and Aston Villa’s Kenza Dali were most recently crowned Footballer Fits’ 2023 MVPs, a prize given to the flyest footballers of the year.
For both club and country, Onana has shared dressing rooms with some of the waviest names in the football x fashion world, aside from his own of course. One baller in particular stands out when I quiz him on the best-dressed players he’s played alongside.
“Number one, Mr Michy Batshuayi. That guy is fly! That guy is cold!” Onana says without a second of hesitation.
“I like the way he dresses because it’s different from anyone else. He does his own thing and you can really see that. The way he dresses matches his personality, which I love.”
“Timothy Weah is another. I played with him back in Lille. He brings that American style and he’s one of the coldest I know. I also like Dominic Calvert-Lewin a lot too. Again, he expresses himself differently to most people. Jérémy Doku is a fly baller and he’s my guy! I play with him at Belgium and every time we come to meet up, it’s a competition, I’m not going to lie! People are always trying to look the best and I like it. I could name even more, but I feel like these guys are the flyest I’ve played with.”
Photography by Shane Bain.
Whilst the endless supply of inspiration from other players may be of use to many, Onana’s inspiration comes from far greater means than the Instagram feeds of his peers. “I feel like I inspire myself from everything I see. I look at other athletes, artists, models or my experience travelling the world and coming from Senegal, where people dress in a very loud and colourful way,” he says.
“Then I can go across the globe to America and look at the NFL players for example. I feel like I can dress in any kind of way, I can dress young, I can dress classy and elegant, I can dress crazy and colourful and do it all, rock n’ roll. I don’t really focus on brands. For me, as I said, if it looks good, I don’t care about anything else. I really look at everyone around me for inspiration but then try to do my own thing.”
Fashion is no longer the only route of self-expression players are exploring outside of the game, though. The new-found trend of footballers launching music careers is becoming harder to ignore with each passing day. AC Milan’s Rafael Leão goes by the pseudonym ‘Way 45′ to release his music, Juventus’ Moise Kean recently released his debut track under the group ’19F’ and Memphis Depay has been dropping heat across all streaming platforms in recent years.
Onana’s musical ability is no secret either. From singing videos on his own channels – including his viral cover of Summer Walker’s ‘Session 32’ – to his ability to rap in multiple languages on the same track, the midfielder sees music as another form of expressiveness that football nor fashion can offer. “With music, I can put everything into words,” he says.
“I’m expressing myself with my voice and I can shout about how I feel. It’s different and expressing myself in a way that everyone can understand in comparison to football and fashion.”
Photography by Shane Bain.
Onana is not just jumping on a popular trend either, as his family will attest to. Since early, music has been a part of his life.
“My love for music started young, you know. I’ve always loved listening to music, singing in the house and in the shower so loud that my Mum would bang the door! I started writing my own tracks since I was young too,” he reveals.
“Ten, eleven-years-old, writing little rap songs and that. I never released them and never will because those songs were crap! Nah, I’m just joking, but those songs were very different to the ones I create now. I released the track with you guys and my guy #17 (Alex Iwobi), which was a great track too by the way and I’m planning on releasing more in the future. It’s something that’s really fun for me.”
The process of those tracks can start and end anywhere for Onana. Though many musical talents like to lock in during their time at the studio, Onana, like his fashion sense, sources inspiration from all over. “I feel like I could start writing anywhere,” he says, taking me through his creative process.
“I could be on the coach to an away game and a bar will come in my head. Sometimes I see something and I’m able to write about it there and then. There’s no special place or routine. I just need a beat, my creativity and inspiration and that’s it. I can write from anywhere at any time.”
As things stand, the footballer music scene is yet to have as many participants as the fashion wave, but it continues to grow. Draping yourself in designer clothes and the latest fashion trends across social media is a little easier than being born with musical ability, it must be said. Despite the vast improvement of criticism against players for their outside interests, making and releasing music still has some way to go before it’s fully accepted in the sport. Because of this, some players with genuine talent have kept it far from the eyes and ears of football folklore and traditional media, something Onana wants to change.
“There are some very talented ballers out there who are probably scared to release something because of those who say ‘focus on football’. Of course, football is the main part of my life but it’s what I do, it’s not what I am,” Onana says passionately.
Photography by Shane Bain.
“Football is the most important thing so I’m focused on it but I need other interests and to think about different things when I’m away from the pitch. I think that’s more healthy. The ballers out there with talent, go out there and do your thing. Believe in yourself and just drop it, man. If you enjoy it, do it. We have to thank the likes of Memphis Depay who started the wave, so a big shout out to him and the other players that created a pathway for us to express ourselves.”
Spending time with Onana, it is incredibly hard to believe he is still just 22-years-old. From his understanding of life to his humble nature with everything he says and does, you would be forgiven for thinking he had already been there and done it all. A born leader who is focused on using his voice and his platform to inspire those around him and help those who need it most, Onana strays far from the stereotypes given to footballers.
Whilst becoming the best player he can be is a huge ambition and one he will give everything to reach, he understands life does not revolve around eleven people kicking a ball every Saturday, even when we football supporters feel that it does. Instead, leaving a legacy beyond the walls of a football stadium is at the forefront of his mind.
“I want to break records, I want to win as many trophies as I can, I want to push the barriers and play as many games as I can. I want people to remember me as the football player I am.”
“But more importantly, I want people to remember the person I am. To remember the people I inspired and the charity work I’ve done. I want to help as many people as I can, donate as much as I can and do as much as I can for my people.”
“At the end of the day, that’s what really matters to me, man. Football is great, but there’s a life after it. I want to be remembered for way, way more than just football.”
Producer: Jordan Clarke
Executive Producer: Kieran Clarke
Photography: Shane Bain
Video: Cory Shillingford-Cox
BTS Video: Ellie Wickes
Styling/Creative Direction: Marcus Pancho
Make-up: Corrine Gibbons
Lighting: Aaron Price
Retouching: Adam Lupton
Cover Design: Scott Mcroy
Jewellery: Local Kettle Brothers
“I didn’t see the dream of being a professional when I was growing up so I think we, as female players, have a responsibility to show young girls that this can be a career and playing football is something they’re allowed to do,” Rosella Ayane says on behalf of the countless female athletes with similar stories.
From her serene, humble yet confident and present state – almost matching this warmly sun-lit London apartment we’ve met her in – you’d forget that the 27-year-old will soon face the highest peak of any footballers career: representing her nation on the world stage.
Though Reading-born to a Scottish mother, Rosella’s bold decision in 2021 to reconnect with her heritage and represent her father’s home country Morocco has been respected and backed within the game. The African nation is only separated from Europe by the strait of Gibraltar between the Mediterranean Sea & Atlantic Ocean, but a weighty decision like that isn’t made overnight. However, such a decision is more than paying off for Ayane whose AFCON semi-final spot-kick against reigning champions Nigeria sent Morocco through to not just the tournament final but to this summer’s World Cup, making them the first Arab nation in women’s football to qualify.
“It was a crazy moment. I should probably read a dictionary because I need to find new words for it. The atmosphere out at AFCON was incredible. I was in Marrakesh a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t been there since that moment and the reception I got was surreal,” Ayane says, eyes beaming whilst reliving the experience.
Photography by Shane Bain. In partnership with size?
“It just shows the stamp that we’ve put on women’s football. Obviously, the men did so well at the World Cup too and I think that shows that Morocco as a footballing nation respects both the men’s and women’s teams. That’s very evident and is still evident now from the hype we’ve got going into the World Cup this summer.”
“It took me a while to digest and realise what we’ve done,” Ayane says on the World Cup qualification that was seemingly against all odds. “I didn’t actually realise how much history we’d made until my family listed all the achievements to me. To be the first Arab country to qualify and to do it for the first time in Morocco’s history, it definitely took a while to sink in. I don’t know how much will feel real when we walk out against Germany in the first game.”
Whilst the success of this Atlas Lions team and the name of each player being firmly placed in the history books could be enough for Ayane, she remains far from the end goal of inspiring a generation of young girls across not just Morocco, but the world.
“There shouldn’t be judgment on young girls playing football and I think we as players of the women’s national team need to pave the way for girls to be footballers or whatever they want to be in life.”
Photography by Shane Bain. In partnership with size?
“Then, with more investment, the support from brands like size? and the more the game is in the public eye, you’re only going to see it expand and young people will see us on the TV and in magazines like I never got to see. They’ll be able to grow up and say ‘I want to be like her’.”
Of course, it’d be wrong to talk about this summer’s World Cup without asking a star involved in her tournament predictions, something Ayane is more than happy to get stuck into. “Well, Morocco are going to be in the final of course, so that’s a silly question!” she says with a smirk that quickly turns into laughter.
“If, and it’s a big if, for some bizarre reason we aren’t in the final, you can’t take the United States lightly. The other team is really hard to choose. It really depends on who turns up during the tournament. You’ve got Germany, you’ve got France who will be a force and then Australia of course, who will do well since it’s a home tournament.”
“I’m going to say an unpredictable one and pick Australia. They’ve got a whole country behind them. People don’t realise it but that is like having two extra players, not just twelve players but thirteen! Having a home crowd and that buzz, full stadiums and everyone behind them will pay off. So my final prediction is Australia vs. the United States with the US coming out on top, but this is obviously only if Morocco gets knocked out for some bizarre reason,” Ayane smirks once more.
Photography by Shane Bain. In partnership with size?
With the interest in women’s football growing with each passing day, players such as Ayane are now gaining social media audiences bigger than their male counterparts, with Ayane’s 217,000 Instagram followers surpassing many male Premier League stars. With that comes not just fame, but influence and responsibility, something the Moroccan doesn’t take lightly.
“Speak to any female footballer and they realise the depth and magnitude of being an inspiration,” Ayane says. “It’s something we’re very proud of. We want to help inspire the next generation and every player will sit here and say that. The bigger the game gets, the bigger we become as role models and that’s something I found out after AFCON last year. It’s something I’m very prideful of and I’m very happy to try to be the best role model I can be.”
That level of responsibility both online and offline is something previous generations of players have not been accustomed to given the lack of coverage in the game failed to allow major growth for athletes’ personal brands. For Ayane, the lack of coverage in her childhood prevented her from seeing football as a viable career option.
“If I’m honest, the coverage was non-existent when I was growing up,” Ayane admits. “I didn’t see the women’s game on TV, I didn’t see it as a profession and I didn’t see it as something I could make a living from. It was just something I fell into because I loved it and year by year, I slowly found myself becoming a professional footballer. It was just step-by-step.”
Photography by Shane Bain. In partnership with size?
“One of my teammates, Becky Spencer, actually put a clip up of her playing in the FA Cup final for Birmingham donkeys years ago,” Ayane recalls.
“I remember saying to her, ‘I watched that game mate’ and I was only about 12. That’s probably the only women’s game I ever remember watching on TV. That needs to change and it is slowly changing thanks to platforms such as size? being serious about pushing our game.”
With more interest comes more investment which has no doubt increased the quality of the Women’s Super League, most notable by last season’s incredible to-the-end title race between Manchester United and Chelsea, with the Blues snatching another title late on. Ayane, who also found herself coming out on top of a battle towards the bottom of the table, believes such a level of competition is vital for the growth of the game.
“One of the reasons the Premier League in men’s football is so highly respected and watched globally is because you never know who is going to win week in, week out,” she says. “I think it’s starting to get to that point in women’s football. As you just said, with the title race, you didn’t know who was going to win until toward the end. I think it was the same with the bottom of the table too.”
“You didn’t know who was going to get relegated until the last game of the season. That in itself speaks volumes for where women’s football is going and it’s a credit to everyone who is involved. With that level of competition, the quality and viewership will only get higher.”
Photography by Shane Bain. In partnership with size?
Whilst football is Ayane’s one true love, fashion is also a close contender. The rise of the football and fashion crossover no longer requires any explanation. At this point, being unaware of it would raise serious questions over where one has been for the past two years. Players from all around the game, from England to Italy and male players to female, are actively showing their fits off the pitch these days and Ayane is no different.
“I just think, with fashion, it’s my way to express myself away from football,” she begins. “From your clothes to the way you dress and style yourself, it can say a lot about how you’re feeling and your personality. I think when footballers get put in this box of just being footballers, fashion, music and all things culture-related are outlets to express yourself and prove that label wrong. Self-expression is one thing a lot of players, including myself, love doing through their clothes.”
“My outfits depend on where I’m going. One thing I will say about my fashion is it’s versatile. I haven’t just got one look or one thing I like to base my fits on. I love to glam up but I also love to glam down. When I open my wardrobe, it depends on the event and I like to fit in with the atmosphere or the vibe but describing my style isn’t black and white.”
At Tottenham, Ayane is not alone in her passion for fashion…
“Fashion is big in the dressing room, definitely. A lot of the girls come in wearing outfits if they’re going somewhere after training, so we’ve got some fashionistas at the club. I have to say Shelina Zadorsky is very well- dressed. She’s always coming correct and she’s always got the latest pair of trainers or she’s wearing a fit everyone rates.”
Photography by Shane Bain. In partnership with size?
“Who could do with some help? Bless her… probably Kerys Harrop. She probably doesn’t care and fair enough, not everyone cares about fashion like that but some of the clobber she has on? I probably wouldn’t leave the locker room in. She probably wouldn’t wear what I wear and would say I look stupid in this,” Ayane laughs, pointing to her own fit. “Fashion fits everyone differently.”
No matter how fly Ayane looks today or on any previous day, nobody is immune to a fashion malfunction from time to time and unfortunately for her, the latest was only a few weeks back. “I was at an event and I was sat at the dinner table and it was like awards, so black-tie and glam-glam, and I could feel something itching my back,” she says, painting the scene of the calamity.
“I kept reaching towards it and thinking ‘What is on my back’. I said to my mate, ‘Have I got something on my back, like something crawling?’ and nobody had told me or realised that I’d left a massive tag in. So I’m walking around with what looks like a GPS vest on my back because the tag is still in my dress. That, for me, is my biggest malfunction and it was on a red carpet. I went straight to the toilet and asked my friend to rip it out of my dress,” Ayane says sending the room into laughter.
Footballers are competitive in anything they do. Ayane herself admits when she steps onto the pitch, her whole demeanor can change in order to get a vital win. So it’s no surprise that when it comes to fashion, players want to be the best. With athletes becoming more and more interested in fashion, a debate around who sits on top in the fashion stakes is to be expected and online, it’s already arrived.
For Ayane, naming a top-five list isn’t an easy task but as always, she’s happy to dive in.
Photography by Shane Bain. In partnership with size?
“First, I’ve got to go with my girl Leah Williamson,” she says on the Arsenal and England star, who is also a close friend. “She comes correct at every event, you have to give it to her. Even if I go chill at her house, she’s wearing something decent and she’s just sat in her house so I’ll go with Leah as number one.”
“Do you know whose outfits I always rate but couldn’t personally wear? Lauren James and Shanice van de Sanden. Those two are always very well-dressed. Trinity Rodman has popped up on my explore page a couple of times and it’s always an outfit that you think ‘Okay, that’s lit’. Kenza Dali is clean and she’s a big sneaker girl, so I’ll go with her to make up my five.”
Leah Williamson. Lauren James. Shanice van de Sanden. Trinity Rodman. Kenza Dali. Some list.
Like fashion, music is another hugely popular way for athletes to express themselves without a ball at their feet. From players now making their own tracks to having their name referenced in bars, the music x football crossover is also undeniable. For Ayane, there’s no doubt in her mind when it comes to her music opinions, which she happily admits will be sure to annoy some people.
“I’m probably going to get a lot of heat for this but I don’t particularly care… I can’t listen to Taylor Swift. I can’t listen to her music and I don’t understand how her tickets are so expensive. Harry Styles is another one I can’t listen to. Sorry, I know I’m going to get hate for this. Harry Styles, if I had to, I could listen to him, but Taylor Swift? No. If she came on the radio, I’d turn it off immediately and listen to classical,” Ayane laughs.
Photography by Shane Bain. In partnership with size?
“My favourite track and one I’ll always put on the aux is Last Last by Burna Boy. It’s just a banger. It gets the room going and whatever the vibe, you can rely on that song and for me personally, it has a lot of good memories. I played it every game day at AFCON so it always brings back the good vibes.”
“Most underrated artist? Good question! I’d personally go with Tems. I think she has bangers! I’ve had her latest album on repeat recently and I’m quite bad if I like an album, I will drown it out until people are like ‘please stop’. I’ll have it on repeat with no care in the world.”
Ahead of the biggest summer of her life, Ayane is a pleasure to talk to. As relaxed as someone without an ounce of pressure on their shoulders, each response she offers is full of charisma, taking the time to provide depth to each response whether it be through humour or an inspirational tone as she discusses helping the next generation of Moroccans to see the dream she could never see. “You have to enjoy what you’re doing,” she says on her advice to young girls aspiring to be in her position.
“Whatever job you’re in, you have to enjoy it. That’s how the best version of yourself is going to come out. I think that’s major in football. Happy players off the pitch usually play well on the pitch so I think enjoying yourself is my main bit of advice. Even if you don’t want a career in football, make sure that whatever you do in life, you do it with enjoyment.”
Shop all of Rosella Ayane’s looks and the full size? Homegrown collection here.
In Partnership With: size?
Photography: Shane Bain
Conversation: Ryhanna Parara
Words: Jason Owusu-Frimpong