International football star Ode Fulutudilu’s soccer career canvas is filled with groundbreaking moves. Having made history by becoming the first female South African to play in Spain’s top league ‘La Liga’ after joining Malaga FC, the 30-year-old recently helped her club Aland United win the Finnish Women’s Cup title for the first time.
In 2019, Ode was part of the Banyana Banyana team that represented South Africa in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
Youngstar Juliet Nalukenge is certainly also a force to reckon with. At just 17, she was crowned the 2019 ‘Uganda Women’s Player of the Year’ and has successfully guided the national team Crested Cranes to their first ever FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in India, scheduled for 17 February – 7 March 2021.
The two ladies sat down for this interview on GLIM’s Facebook Live.
J.N: I am Juliet Nalukenge, Captain Crested Cranes team Under 17. A candidate that is also passionate about soccer.
Ode: Oh okay.(Smiles) I am very honored and happy one to talk to you and pass on this knowledge and pass on my experiences in soccer and my past experiences as well.
J.N: I have a set of questions I’d love to ask you about your success and journey in professional football. So you were born from Congo?
Ode: First of all, my full name is Ode Fulutudilu and I am of Congo origin. I am married and play for South Africa.
J.N: What inspired you to join football?
Ode: While growing, I loved all sorts of sports. I loved and preferred to keep active as compared to other girls that always loved to sit and talk about boys. I loved playing with the boys and having a team to play gave me joy, it gave me a sense of belonging. And I continued to grow I identified with football most because it is where my biggest passion in sport was.
J.N: What are the challenges you have faced in football?
Ode: When I was dropped from the national team in 2015. The reason was I made a mistake to put all my eggs in one basket and I did not have anything else on the side. So when I was dropped that was very painful for me. But on the other hand, this challenge helped me improve myself as a person and soccer player. I learnt to work more credibly and smarter. And as well as value the importance of education given that I was a graduate at that time.
J.N: What are some of your notable achievements in soccer?
Ode: Playing on the world cup is that golden notable achievement. Almost all the leagues I have played for are great but the world cup is so prestigious. It gave me an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the best footballers in the world.
J.N: What is your advice to women that want to pursue soccer as a dream?
Ode: Oh, that’s a great question. So the advice I’ll give you is, do not neglect your education because education gives you a foundation for other opportunities given that life is uncertain we can not be sure of what tomorrow brings so do not neglect your education. If anything, pursue your soccer dream while you pursue your education.
J.N: What is your secret to success in football?
Ode: You know most players say hard work is the secret when asked this question but its important that say hard work when done correctly and smartly yields better results. I can say I am consistent in the small things I do over time. And also attitude is very important. If you have a prideful attitude or stinking attitude, however you might be a good player, no teams will keep you so you ought to be very disciplined.
J.N: Have you ever been a top scorer?
Ode: I am more of an average scorer. I am an assistant and for my first professional team scored 15 goals because they needed my goals and our win was dependent on me. But for a team like Aland United I just have to make sure I work with the rest of my team to make a great game.
J.N: What are some of the mistakes you notice your fellow female footballers make?
Ode: Oh mistakes! Let me start with diet imbalance for example eating the wrong foods affects your performance in the game. So you must be disciplined with your diet and also intake of substances like alcohol also slow down your performance both physically and mentally as a player. Also another mistake we do is doing a little too much because I too have done that, we tend to go beyond normal capacity and some times you get injuries or the next time you have a game you know that your were not fresh for the game, so those are the mistakes we make.
J.N: Have you made any sacrifices that have led to your success?
Ode: Of course a lot of those but the one sacrifice I have had to make now is leaving my husband who is in Holland to come play soccer in Finland and I certainly miss him, but fortunately he is an amazing man who understands and is very supportive of my dream and also he knows it is just for football.
J.N: You mentioned a husband, are you married?
Ode: Yes, I am married.
J.N: Do you have children?
Ode: Well not as yet but God willing I hope to have children.
J.N: What are you best moments in soccer?
Ode: Those are quite many but the most outstanding is when we had our first game against Spain where I was a defender and much as we did not win the game, it was a good game because it kept me on my toes and also to rub shoulders with Spain was a great honor.
J.N: So you are a striker like me, and you know we like to score goals. What is your best goal?
Ode: The goals scored towards the end of the game are usually my best goals. Those that revive a victory from a draw.
J.N: How old are you?
Ode: I am 30 years old( smiles) Old enough to be your mother. (They both giggle).
J.N: Those were the questions I had for you.
Ode: Oh those were awesome questions. I loved them. Thank you!
Edited by
Aine Berna Beyongyera
