Expanding Horizons
Thomai Vardali, Greece
We have teamed up with the adidas Breaking Barriers Project to share the inspiring stories of 14 Champions across Europe as they advocate for women and girls in sport within their local communities. The second instalment of this series showcases eight Champions from Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK who are advocating for the next generation of women in sport. Thomai Vardali is an adidas Breaking Barriers Champion and a volunteer coach for Organization Earth in Koufalia, Greece.
Want to join us in breaking barriers for women and girls in Europe? Join the adidas Breaking Barriers Academy.
My name is Thomai Vardali and I am from Koufalia, near Thessaloniki in the northern part of Greece. I have been volunteering with Organization Earth since 2022 and I am an adidas Breaking Barriers Champion. I play on the Greek national football team and captain the PAOK FC women’s team. From a young age, I started playing football with the boys. I remember myself loving this sport from the very first moment. I felt like I was born to do this.
What has your football journey been like up until now?
When I was five years old, I started playing with the boys in my town. During that time, there were no football academies for girls. I was the only girl in school who was playing football, and they called me a ‘boyish girl’. It was not nice to hear these words, but my love for the sport was so big that I did not care much. I made them change their opinion with my passion and my talent, and then every boy wanted me to play on his team.
When I was eight years old, PAOK FC created academies for girls. I was playing in both the girls’ and the boys’ academies until I was 12 years old, when I got moved up to the first team. I played there until I was 18, and then I moved to the United States because I received an offer to play at East Tennessee State University. Receiving an offer to play football at university had always been a dream of mine.
Why did you start working in your community? Why are you motivated to do the work that you do? Why do you think your work with girls is important?
I started working in my community near Thessaloniki because I wanted to help women’s football grow to be on equal footing with the men. I wanted to help young girls believe in their dreams and follow the sport they love. This work is important because I am trying to make them feel safe and strong. Sometimes, young girls and their parents may have the belief that football is only for men and boys. This is why my work is so important in helping change their minds and make them feel confident enough to break barriers.
What did you try to capture with your photos? Was there a deeper meaning to the photos? What do these images mean to you as a Champion of the adidas Breaking Barriers Project?
The photos were taken at the adidas Breaking Barriers Project event in Athens and in Thessaloniki. In the photos are my teammates on PAOK FC in Thessaloniki, as well as some of the children I coach at the academy in Koufalia.
In my photos, I tried to capture the joy between the girls and the boys, their passion, and their togetherness.
One of my favourite photos is the one that shows the children I coach coming together to shout, ‘one, two, three, TEAM!’
Why is football important for your community? Why is it important to you?
Football is the king of sports all over the world, so my country could not be an exception. People see football as an escape from their daily routine. For me, football is my life. Since I was a little girl, I always dreamt of becoming a professional football player, so I am more than happy that my biggest dream has come true.
What are some of the prevailing challenges for women and girls in your communities? What are the opportunities for women and girls to play football in your community and in Greece?
Football in Greece is more popular than any other sport. Unfortunately, women’s football is not as popular as men’s football. This means that it is challenging for women to be treated equally within the sport.
The opportunities now for women and girls in Greece to play football are much better than they have been previously, although the women’s top league is still not fully professional. The good thing is that there are many academies and teams that the girls can now participate in.
What impact has the adidas Breaking Barriers Project had on your journey as a leader and change-maker in women’s football? What are your ambitions for the future?
Throughout my journey with the adidas Breaking Barriers Project, I have grown as a person. I have met different personalities, and I learned something from each one. The project expanded my horizons and helped me see things from different perspectives. In the future, I am hoping to keep advocating for the promotion of women’s football, especially in Greece.
What do you think the future looks like for football in your community and Greece? What do you want to change? How would you improve gender equality?
I think the future is bright for women’s football in Greece. Throughout Europe, huge steps have been taken to improve gender equality in football, which is creating many opportunities for girls who want to play. As a leader and a change-maker, I want to follow the same steps in Greece with my actions on and off the field.
