Women’s Football and Political Positioning: A New Wave

In recent years, we kind of got used to hearing football players taking a stand further toward the far right, with a few exceptions, like Paulinho, who is now with Palmeiras. But it seems that the landscape in women’s football is changing the tide.

A Goalkeeper with Fire in Her Heart

In her first interview after winning the Brazilian title with São Paulo—and still taking the award for player of the match—goalkeeper Carlinha didn’t hold back: "Never again Bolsonaro in power, damn it!". I asked her what prompted her to say that during the program Fim de Papo here on UOL, and she told me she lost her grandmother during the pandemic. In her words, "between Lula and any Bolsonaro supporter, it will always be the other side."

And as if that weren’t enough, at the title celebration the tricolor players went all in: they sang songs for Lula, took shots at Flávio Bolsonaro and even at Trump, shouting with grit: "He’s not going to take our lands, damn it. Brazil is ours!"

The Voice of Ary Borges

The Brazilian national team midfielder, Ary Borges, also joined the conversation. She had already expressed her support for Lula in 2018 and 2022, and now she didn’t hesitate to post on social media: "I learned that taking a stand doesn’t mean getting into a battle against one another. Taking a stand, above all, is refusing to stay silent in the face of what runs through our history, affects our lives, and directly interferes with our future."

Ary shared a little about her life: "I was born in the SUS. I made use of popular pharmacies. I come from a region that, for many years, was forgotten—where having electricity at home has even been something to celebrate." And with all sincerity, she spoke about being a Black woman who loves another woman. For her, there’s no way to support someone who bears the Bolsonaro family name. Her position, according to her, doesn’t come from hatred, but from her own history. In the end, she also sent a message: "That’s why, vote with awareness. Learn our story. Don’t forget what we’ve already lived through. Long live democracy! AND PRESS 13!!!"

Class Consciousness in Focus

More than just politics, what we’re seeing here is real class consciousness. Issues like the pandemic, sovereignty, public health, and social programs are all intertwined. And it all shows up in the voices of women.

Lula, by noticing all that strength in the female public, certainly realized they would be more receptive to the idea of banning betting. After all, who looks after families and focuses on the collective well-being? Women. Meanwhile, many men, trapped in their bubble of privilege, end up forgetting where they came from.

Even so, none of that seems to have been enough to guarantee an advantage for the current president. It’s striking to see some people voting against their own interests. This disparity is telling, and this election resulted in two of the most voted candidacies in Brazil’s history: the congresswoman Érika Hilton (PSOL-SP) and congressman Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG).

What’s Coming Next?

The president-elect in 25 in October will say a lot about what Brazilians truly want for one another. The women’s football players have already made it clear what matters to them. And you—what do you think?