London, England
Wetin dey happen for football world? This girl dem dey call Alessia Russo don finally catch beta shine, and e no be small! But make we no forget say her road to dem Lioness level no be small journey o. Abeg, e start long before she become star. Na beach days wey na im dey carry her memory go back as early as last summer. Imagine dis babe dey wake up every morning with ocean view, splashing for water and dey kick ball for sand with him brothers. Na wetin dem dey call sweet life! (Chop life, no go hear word!)
Alessia sabi say her heart dey Nettuno – na dat coastal town one hour south of Rome where her nonna still dey live. E be like say dem family get some kind love story wey dem dey tell like fairy tale. Once upon a time, Alfonso wey come from Sicily, visit Rome with him paddy, and bam! Mumu love catch him for railway station when e see this English girl, Patricia, wey no sabi him at all. No be small wah! Na so e collect train wey no dey carry am, blow him last chance because true love no get distance, right? (Who fit blame him? Na movie material jare!)
Fast forward, dem end up marrying and bam! Seven decades later, dem grandchild dey shine for European Championship final. E be like say we fit run story marathon but na so life be na. Our bloodlines dey trace our journey, with football as the river wey dey carry us. Women football dey show how dis journey be too: from d pioneers wey build am to the legends wey dey carry our hope. Alessia’s career no be by chance, she don hammer hard work and determination but abi na dem family vibes too? Indeed, dem don lay the foundation since she born!
As dem move to London, Alfonso fall in love with Manchester United team wey dem dey call Busby Babes and him twilight years na football full ground. Her papa, Mario, no gree rest, him dey coach local kids, and no wonder Alessia enter dis life don already get football structure. You go fit imagine, she and her brothers go dey play ball for small yard, dey support Italy for major matches, but as dem dey enter Euro, e get two sides wey make sense because Mario dey support Italy while his daughter dey carry England flag with her English name and jitters.
But wait! Make we no forget the drama wey dey boot. Everybody sabi say na big business dis England vs Italy semi-final go be. Alessia don proved her worth, especially after dat penalty shootout against Sweden wey she still dey vex say she no fit carry dem team for finish. She rested later, don dey form strategy like she dey play chess. Those long runs na wah! She don learn to play her role well, dey press, dey support and dey tap ball for right place. But make we no underestimate Italy, dem fit shock anybody!
Now, with the planning for dis match, head coach Sarina Wiegman don already put plans in place for Jess Carter, wey don face some online abuse. Coach dey talk she ready to perform. Other players dey vibe along, dey agree say love and support go carry dem through this wahala. E no go be fans wey come for drama, those ones na only bad guys wey need to check themselves. Now, all eyes dey on dem, make dem show the world say as Lionesses, dem fit stand together!
As we do our own analysis, e dey clear say England no fit underplay Italy side. If dem dey ready to win, e go need everybody for the pitch, blend together like correct jollof rice! Nobody wan waste dis chance, and the pressure don dey build! But no worry, we dey here to cheer dem on and hopefully, dem go sabi how to add another trophy to di cabinet.
End of story? Nah! We still dey hear more from both sides about support and solidarity for all levels of athletes. With all the challenges and serious talk about racism, dis football na serious business wey dey go beyond pitch. And like dat train wey dey leave, we all sabi sey nobody fit predict wetin go happen next. Na so dem dey find way to turn up that heat!
