Suddenly, in the middle of the warm-up, Julia's cry. At two months of life, most cries claim food. Listening to the sob from the field, Ruth leaves the first exercises, looks for a comfortable place and attends to the girl's complaint. It is any Wednesday in the field of Son Ferrer, a women's team that plays in the Autonomous League of Mallorca. After a while, Julia releases her chest. She is no longer hungry and Ruth, who is still dressed short, returns to training while Julia remains in the hands of one of the team's assistants. Julia is a two month old baby. Ruth is her mother. And he is mom and soccer player.

Mother and soccer player at the same time. Two aspects of life that, in a world that moves towards equality, should not be something striking and that, however, continues to be so for women who want to dedicate themselves to football. Ruth is Ruth Ruano , one of those women who has chosen to change that situation by making the anecdote something absolutely normal in her day to day.

"With organization and help she gets along," says Ruth while breastfeeding Julia, her second daughter. The Mallorcan team player also has a fundamental support at home: her partner is also a player. «Play football too. It is a passion that unites us both and we also want to transmit it to our children. At home we all play, ”he says with a smile, while the rest of his teammates, ages 13 to 30, continue the warm-up exercises prior to training the team trained by Jaime Turró .

«For me it is a novelty as a coach. Times are progressing, the girls have adapted and Ruth is eager to play, ”explains the coach, who praises the effort that his player, -“ a powerful forward, who goes to the clash ”- makes to combine his task As a mother with her love of football. «We all look for time to do what we like. He has his job, he has to take care of the girl and feed her, and then look for the time to come to train. That is not done by everyone ».

And what is common in Ruth, -and with his first son returned to training at six weeks after delivery-, still seems a distant issue in women's football. Ruth is going to train and play with her girl. If the creature is hungry, Ruth leaves the training, or if necessary the game, she breastfeeds and returns. «I don't know what is abnormal. This is something totally natural and very good for both the baby and me. For mothers who are infants, it is the best thing that can happen to us, ”he says.

"I depend on her and she on me"

For Ruth his case, in addition, should not surprise. "I do not know if we are years ago or have lost a little perception, but like breastfeeding is something natural and normal, it is also that a woman plays football," he says at the same time, with brightness in the eyes, talk about how important it is for her to have her daughter Julia in games and training. «It gives me a lot of peace of mind to be attached to her. It's like I need her and see that she needs me too. I depend on her and she on me. For me it is fortunate to be able to bring it with me to the matches and training ».

As a soccer player she is, Ruth also takes the opportunity to point out that, in a time like the current one, in which the First Division players are demanding improvements in their conditions, the importance of other categories is also taken into account. «All football is important, from the little ones who are four or five years old to the professionals who are in First. Everything is based on grassroots football and must be taken into account ».

At that moment the player of Son Ferrer makes clear her position on the request for equity with men's football. «It should exist. This year the United States team won the World Cup again and their cry was Equal Pay. There should be no difference. It is true that the same are not going fields like with men's football, but they will end up filling because each time they are breaking more records ».

And finally, before returning to the field and starting the night training of the team, Ruth leaves a message for the future. «This is something natural and in the future what I am doing is going to be something totally normal. We will be more, we will be more, ”he says firmly.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Majorca
  • sports
  • football
  • Women's Football