Mara Gomez is the first transgender to play professional women’s football in Argentina. She featured in Villa San Carlos’ 7-1 defeat in the hands of fellow Argentine women’s club Lanus.
Mara Gomez, just like many other transgender people across the world, has been trying to pursue her passion for professional football but she was not able to get through because of her status as a transgender person.
It took the 23-year-old forward until November before the Argentina football association (AFA) confirmed that she has been registered to play professional women’s football in the country.
After the registration, Villa San Carlos gave her the chance to play for the club which she finally did for the first time on December 7, 2020, in the women’s Primera A football division in Argentina.
Mara Gomez was given the number 7 jersey and played on the wings. Despite suffering a humiliating 7-1 defeat, the 23-year-old football star was celebrated at the end of the match.
ASÍ FUE EL DEBUT DE MARA GÓMEZ 🔝
— TNT Sports LA (en 🏡) (@TNTSportsLA) December 7, 2020
Con su participación en el duelo ante Lanús, la jugadora de Villa San Carlos se convirtió en la primera mujer trans en ser parte del fútbol argentino ⚽#FEMENINOxTNTsports pic.twitter.com/6MASY8CaPO
The historic event was so overwhelming that Lanus that humiliated Villa San Carlos 7-1, presented an honorary jersey in recognition of her feat of being the first transgender female professional footballer in Argentina.
“We celebrate and accompany this enormous step on the road to expanding rights. Congratulations Mara Gomez”, Lanus said after presenting the jersey to her.
After the match, the woman of the moment, Mara Gomez, took to her Instagram page with 8,935 followers to share pictures showing when a Lanus representative was presenting the jersey to her. In the caption, she described how hard she struggled to achieve the dream of playing professional football as a transgender person.
She thanked those who made her dream possible and noted that the permission given to her to play women’s football showed that football is the sport for everyone.
Mara Gomez wrote: “It was not magic, it was not given away, it was not easy. There was a life of struggle, suffering, sadness; there was a life on the brink of death, a broken heart. There were many obstacles to reverting that past.
“Grateful to the club in which I defend the colors today @vscfem, grateful to my representative @lorenaberduladt who held me in every moment, grateful to my family for everything, grateful to all the people who support this change, this dream, this wish, this conquest.
“we did it and I have no words other than gratitude. This is just beginning, today I breathe, today my soul returns to my body. Thank you very much @lanusfem @clublanusoficial for the surprise of this beautiful presentation (I was shocked). This is the sport that we all want, that it be for everyone.”
