Overcoming The Odds

Tamires, Brazil

My name is Tamires Cassia Dias de Britto. I’m 31 years old, from Caeté, a small city close to Belo Horizonte/MG. I have been playing for Fortuna Hjorring in Denmark for 4 years. I have a 9-year-old child and I’m married to César Roberto.

What did you try to show with the photos? 

I tried to show how I’m living now as a football player with my national team and Fortuna Hjørring teammates.

What is your favourite photo? 

With my Brazilian teammates Monica and Kerolin, we were playing Teqball at Granja Comary. The game is really fun and I was so happy and grateful, because I was playing and looking at all the beautiful views around us. It was wonderful and really special.

What has been your football journey up until now? 

I started on the street, playing with my cousins and some friends. After that I played futsal in my city and others close to it. It was not easy to start with, because I was always the only girl playing with many boys, so they sometimes did not allowed me to play with them and I also heard a lot of bad words like “football is for men”, “get out of here”, “here is not your place”, “go clean a kitchen”, and things like that. Some years later I had a chance to move to São Paulo to start my career and I did not think twice. And from there things started to get better. I found a club that helped me to develop my talent; I started to get some chances with the national team and also started to play in big tournaments.

What are the biggest changes happening at the moment in women's football?

People are starting to recognise how big and interesting women’s football can be.

What does football mean to you? Do you have a message for the next generation of young female footballers

Football was always my passion. Everything that I have today is because of football and I thank god every day for this gift. For the next generation, never let someone say that football is not for you. Follow your dream, believe in yourself, you can do whatever you want, and you are the only one that can achieve your goal. Be yourself and think bigger!!

What are the opportunities for female footballers in Brazil?

It’s starting to get better and better. 10 years ago no one was showing and supporting women’s football, but now you can see big clubs with great projects for us and that is so important for development. We need people to trust that football is also for girls and that is starting to happen in Brazil, so I’m really happy with the good atmosphere that is happening in Brazil right now.

What is the future for Brazilian women's football?

Brazil for sure will have soon one of the best leagues in the world, because we have a lot of good talent around the country. We are going in the right direction and that is what is important - start right! 

What do you expect to change after the 2019 WWC?

I really think that more and more big clubs will include women’s football in their clubs because they will start to see that it is a good investment. And with it everyone will win. 

What does your family think of your job as a professional soccer player?

They always gave me good advice, always believed in my dream since I was a child and I always say that I would never ever have got here without them.

What’s one thing you always do before a game?

I always pray in silence.