Football is global and women, in the dawn of the 21st century, have consolidated their leagues, their World Cup, not only for the love of the sport; they begin to work in fundamental areas of soccer such as coaches, medical executives, referees and, in recent cases, although few, as heads of a club: decisions in long pants, decisions in long skirt.
CHAN LAYHOON (Singapore, 53 years old)
Chan Layhoon, who was serving as Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Valencia, now, after the departure of Amadeo Salvo as Chief Executive in 2015, will be the sole head of the Spanish Liga club.
Right-hand of her compatriot Peter Lim, 61 years old, who took control in May 2014 of 70 percent of the club, which was facing economic difficulties, she serves as the first female boss of the organization in its 86-year history, although she already had that label in 2014.
She has a degree in Economics from the National University of Singapore (1985) and started her career as an auditor for Ernst & Young in her home country. She has already presided over the real estate company 21 Holdings between 2002 and 2004.
Currently, she is the Chief Executive Officer of Thomson Medical Pte. Ltd. (a Southeast Asian private medical services provider) and is a member of the boards of various companies such as McLaren Automotive Limited, McLaren Automotive Asia, and Meriton Holdings Limited.
"There is a stereotype that says that women do not understand football and that a club would never be led by a woman. I have heard this many times, but never a reason," words of Chan that were collected by AS during the FIFA Conference for Equality and Integration.
GISELA 'GIGI' OERI (61 years old)
'Gigi', a German by birth with Swiss nationality, assumed the position of president of FC Basel in 2002, although she was already part of the board of directors in 1999. The wife of the heir of pharmaceutical firm Roche, she left the position, in 2011, in the hands of lawyer Bernhard Heusler; she also ceded 90 percent of her stake in the club.
Currently, the Foundation of the team, sponsored by Oeri, contributes 2.5 million euros per year for the maintenance of the infrastructure of a sports city (funds were sought for its construction), where the youth teams work (up to the U-21 category) and the women's team.
Under her leadership, Basel has won the Swiss Super League on six occasions (2002, 2004, 2005; 2008, 2010, 2011); in addition, they have produced players like Croatian Ivan Rakitić, who was sold to Schalke 04, where he shone and later moved to Sevilla, where he consolidated himself with a Europa League win. He is now a reference player for Barcelona.
Additionally, she was instrumental in eradicating violence in stadiums with campaigns and 'anti-hooligan' measures.
In her first title, in 2002, 22 years later, she entered the locker room with the players and, wearing a red and blue swimsuit, her team's colors, she celebrated the league crown in the jacuzzi.
(PHOTO - Bild: EQ Images)
'I will not forget these 12 years of my life, in which I was working 24 hours a day for the club,' the last words of Oeri as the team's boss.
MARGARITA LOUIS-DREYFUS (54 years old)
Russian Margarita Louis-Dreyfus inherited Olympique de Marseille from Robert Louis-Dreyfus, who died in 2009 at the age of 63 from Leukemia.
Margarita, when taking control of the club, stated that she did not inherit all of Robert's fortune, which, she said, "prevents" her from investing as much as she would like in the organization.
In October 2016, American billionaire Frank McCourt became the owner of Olympique, after signing the agreement, which was close to 45 million euros, with Louise-Dreyfusm, following a "long and demanding" process to find "the best option" in Marseille.
SUSANA DUQUE (47 years old)
Susana Duque, in 2011, took on the role of president of Recreativo de Huelva in Spain, although she was already part of the club as CEO. In the 125 years of the history of the organization, Duque has been the only one to hold the highest position.
A lawyer by profession, she remained at the helm of the team until 2013, when she resigned from the position due to "economic disagreements" and to "have more time for her family."
"It is clear that being the president of Recreativo is not like being the president of any club and now I am experiencing it firsthand.
ALEJANDRA DE LA VEGA (50 years old)
In 1987, the club Cobras arrived in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, under the leadership of businessman Federico de la Vega (R.I.P.), with his daughter and right-hand Alejandra de la Vega, who served as the general manager of the club at just over 20 years old.
In the Apertura 2015, in the Liga de Ascenso, Juárez became champions, following the path of Indios (disappeared in 2012).
Currently, Alejandra combines her roles as the owner of FC Juárez with her duties as a government official in Javier Corral's administration, where she serves as Secretary of Innovation and Economic Development.