Rosella Ayane loves both football and fashion equally; fashion being one of them. At AFCON 2022, her penalty save landed Tottenham in the final and made history.
She hopes Morocco continues its pioneering spirit both on and off the pitch, so VERSUS reached out to find out why she chose Morocco over Scotland.
It just felt right
Morocco women's national team made history last summer when they earned their inaugural appearance in a World Cup, beating Nigeria on penalties at Rabat's Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium to claim silver. Tottenham Hotspur forward Rosella Ayane proved crucial by scoring one of those penalties that won them victory and history was made!
Once representing England at junior level, she made a sudden and decisive switch allegiance in 2021 – but in retrospect feels drawn toward representing her father's country of birth, according to reports.
Ayane is well aware of the positive impact she and her teammates can have on young Moroccan girls as she looks forward to competing at this year's World Cup in Australia. She wants them to realize their dreams that her dad never could. In preparation for this year's tournament, VERSUS sits down with Ayane for the one-off Sky Sports series Represent, which explores how heritage, nationality and ethnicity come together to form one's sporting identity.
Read More : مباريات اليوم بث مباشر
It’s a family affair
Rosella Ayane will cement her place in history when the Atlas Lionesses compete in Saturday's Wafcon final in Morocco. Ayane told Morocco World News that making the final is already an amazing accomplishment; winning it would be a dream come true!
However, she has never forgotten where she came from: Born in Reading and representing England at under-17 and under-19 levels before switching her allegiance to Morocco in 2021.
Ayane has taken advantage of her decision, quickly becoming an integral member of both national team and Tottenham Hotspur Women in the WSL. As well as playing her part, Ayane serves as an advocate for female footballers worldwide and strives to ensure women and girls get equal opportunity to take up playing football. Represent: an Sky Sports one-off series exploring how heritage, nationality and ethnicity influence an athlete's sporting identity premieres this Thursday at 9pm ET/PT.
It’s a big deal
Rosella Ayane may not have understood it at the time, but when she kicked the penalty that put Morocco into their first African Women's Cup final and secured their qualification to next summer's World Cup, her decision to represent Morocco over Scotland was significant.
Over 45,000 spectators packed Rabat's Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium to witness Nigeria's defeat, and Ayane's penalty kicked Atlas Lionesses to an historic tournament-defining win. However, she did not realize at the time that her penalty kick had proven decisive; an oversight she only recently appreciated and learned to appreciate with pride.
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Her home tells a tale too; family photos from trips to Inverness and Casablanca adorn the walls; a small tweed tea cosy and Moroccan tagine sit proudly atop her radiator; telling an authentic narrative about Ayane's diasporic experience that she hopes to share with the world.
It’s a new chapter
Rosella Ayane never imagined her penalty kick would determine the fates of two nations when she stood up to take it at Rabat's Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium last year. With Morocco poised to advance towards an African Cup of Nations final and World Cup debut, she found herself standing near the edge of the pitch as 45,000 fans celebrated in celebrations erupting around her.
Tottenham Hotspur forward Ayane wasn't aware that her penalty would send the Atlas Lionesses through in a shootout and secure their place in history at this summer's tournament in Australia and New Zealand – this tournament marks the first time either country has qualified to the knockout stages, so Ayane hopes it can serve as an opportunity to promote soccer within their home countries and spread awareness about football further afield. Sheila Spence from Chelsea Youths Academy joined with Ayane as team mates Sheila Spence from former Chelsea youth star Chelsea youth player Sheila Spence both have plans in mind in raising awareness as part of growing sport among local people and expanding awareness within their homelands of course.
Represent is a new Sky Sports series exploring how heritage, nationality and ethnicity shape an athlete's sporting identity. Tune in on Tuesday 24 July at 8pm for episode one!
