Eni Aluko ignited a crucial conversation about ownership and opportunity within women’s football, arguing for a level of protective “gatekeeping” mirroring that historically enjoyed by the men’s game. This isn’t about exclusion, she insists, but about safeguarding a hard-won space built on years of dedication and sacrifice.
Aluko powerfully recalls the arduous journey of the women’s game – the “blood, sweat, and tears” poured in by generations of players and advocates. Now, with growing investment and visibility, she fears a subtle erosion of that progress, a risk of being sidelined in the very sport they fought to elevate.
Her core argument is simple: women’s football should be “by women, for women.” While acknowledging the value of male allies, Aluko questions the dynamic when men become the dominant voices and faces of the women’s game, potentially replicating the patriarchal structures they’ve battled against.
The frustration stems from a perceived imbalance of opportunity. Aluko, a veteran of three World Cups and a Euro tournament, has never been offered a major men’s final as a pundit – a reality she accepts, believing those roles should rightfully belong to men. Yet, she and fellow trailblazer Fara Williams found themselves watching the Women’s Euro final from the stands, overlooked for on-air commentary.
This disparity was starkly illustrated by the punditry lineups for the recent Euro final. While ITV featured a balanced panel including women, the BBC’s team included a male pundit alongside female experts. Aluko points to a troubling trend: limited high-profile opportunities within women’s football increasingly being filled by men.
Aluko isn’t diminishing the contributions of male pundits like Ian Wright, but rather highlighting a systemic issue. She argues that her presence – and that of other experienced female players – carries a unique weight, representing a powerful role model for aspiring young female footballers and broadcasters in a way a male figure simply cannot.
The issue, she stresses, isn’t about denying opportunities to men, but about ensuring equitable access for women. If a female pundit can’t break into the men’s game, shouldn’t she at least be guaranteed a place at the table for the women’s game – the very pinnacle of her sport? The current situation, Aluko warns, risks stifling the growth and ownership that women have fought so hard to achieve.
Aluko’s plea is a call for awareness and a demand for fairness. It’s a challenge to those in positions of power to actively champion female voices and ensure that the rewards of a flourishing women’s game are truly shared by those who built it.
