Barbara Banda has dinner with her teammates, Aug 28. [Photo/Xinhua]

Banda recalled that when she was a little child, her parents worried that football would affect her schooling and thought that football was a game only for boys. Despite the obstacles, she had to steal shoes from home to play.

"I used to play with little boys, because back then there was no women's football team in my hometown. You just have to join them if you want to play. People think football is only a game for boys, but I think it is up to you to determine what you want."

"The situation has to be changed, right? why not me?" she added.