On average, more than ten thousand fans follow the matches of the highest level of women’s football in Europe, which is a figure that is currently unattainable even for our first division teams. Female soccer players are all planetary stars… And what does it look like in Croatia?
For example, derby matches are watched by about a hundred spectators, even though there are real masterpieces on the field. And this is where he usually stands out Izabela Lojna.
Abroad as an unfulfilled wish
In her career so far, she has twice been declared the best player in the Croatian league, she is one of the best and longest-serving Osijek footballers with 15 seasons played, while she made 83 appearances and 13 goals in the national team.
With such a football resume, which she repeats year after year, Lojna could have played abroad, but she remained loyal to the “white and blue” jersey.
“When I review my career, I’m a little sorry that I didn’t try and see what level I’m at compared to the best. It’s not about finances, but I just wanted to see how it is played in stronger leagues, such as English, German, Spanish,” notes Izabela Lojna.
And it all started in the small town of Otok, not far from Vinkovci.
“I started playing football at the age of 14. I’m from a small town, the only sports there were football and athletics. As a kid, I always played football with the boys and they, frankly, persuaded me to start training with them. He was my first coach Vladimir Dragićhe gave me the opportunity, I am grateful to him for that because without him I would not be where I am today.
Isabella’s role models
Among his role models, he points out:
“When I started following women’s football, a Brazilian Marta was the best player in the world, the biggest role model for men is the Brazilian Ronaldinho who, you will agree, is a real football romantic. It is from Croatian players Maja Joščakour captain, who I can look up to and is realistically the best player in the history of the Croatian league”.
More and more girls from Osijek want to practice football. An idea that once probably caused parental astonishment, is now more and more accepted.
“We have a lot of girls in Osijek who train football, some say that I am their role model, which makes me happy. I can advise them to follow their dreams and just work. Without work there is nothing, talent is important, but work is even more important. I hope that one day some players will have a better career than I did”.
Excellent results in the Champions League qualifiers
Izabela Lojna turned 32 in May, and football will be in her plans for a long time.
“I plan to play as long as my body serves me. I know how to joke with the club management that I will stop when we win the 30th championship title and deserve the third star on the jersey. We are now at 25 titles, so at least five more years. That’s a challenge for me”.
The girls from Osijek hope that they could find a place in European competitions through the European League, which UEFA plans to introduce for women’s clubs as well, although they also recorded several excellent results in the Champions League qualifiers.
More and more interested girls
“I hope that this idea will come true because it would help smaller clubs, which we are realistically… We also had good results in the Champions League, three years ago we knocked out the favored Anderlecht, and last year and this year we reached the last round before entering. in groups. I hope for a better result in Europe in the future.
We were interested in the support of the Croatian Football Association for the women’s national team.
“Honestly, we live off the men’s national team and their results. Now we have more support from the Federation, starting with equipment, hotels, better fields, working conditions. We have longer gatherings… When I started playing for the national team, we would meet two days before the game. Now let’s get together five or six days earlier, get to something and play. I hope that in a few years, it doesn’t have to be my generation, but in ten years, I hope that the girls will have excellent conditions and, if we don’t succeed now, let them qualify for a big competition.
However, although it is difficult to understand in the time of abundance in HNS, some players are at a financial loss because – they play for the national team!
“A lot of players are still working, those who come from abroad too. What we get at the moment is not enough to cover what is lost at work. Here, I have to take unpaid leave from work in order to play for the national team, and I lose up to 300 euros in salary. In the national team, we get 200 euros per meeting. I save a little on travel expenses because I go by car, so in the end I might be in the plus, at most 100 euros.
‘It’s nice to be a soccer player in Osijek’
Like most female athletes who play in Croatia, female soccer players cannot make a living from playing sports alone.
“I hope that in a few years it will be possible for the younger generation, but the clubs have to invest a lot more in this. There is no income in women’s football. Realistically, it would be best to merge the men’s and women’s clubs, because that way we would get marketing, finance, logistics, everything would be at a higher level.
That’s why some players study, some additionally work in a club with younger categories, and some are employed, like Izabela Lojna, who works in the police.
“It’s not hard, I manage to adjust everything. When I’m on the day shift, I can’t come to training, and when I’m on the night shift, I do the training before work. My bosses are great, they love football, they let me go to matches. When they heard that I play football and that I am a member of the national team, they were delighted. I work in the border police, on the border with Serbia, we are a small crossing, there are no migrants. We have much bigger problems with the area called Liberland, from which they want to make a ‘state within a state’.
Osijek soccer players are multiple national champions, and in their city they are recognized as real sports stars. And not only that, the club is the main user of the City Garden, which until recently was the stadium of Osijek football players. They got a new stadium in the Pampas, and the soccer players embraced their new home.
“It means a lot to us, no more peasants. Women’s football, as well as men’s, is widely followed in Osijek. People recognize us, it’s nice to be a soccer player in Osijek”, concluded Izabela Lojna.
The text was created in cooperation with HOO
