Introduction
According to the FIFA Annual Report on Football Agents for 2023, only 4.8% of the newly licensed agents were female with 95.2% being male. This without doubt depicts the level of gender disparity in football agency. In fact, a study conducted by Women in Football in May 2024 shows that 89% of women working in the football industry have experienced discrimination at work[1]. This has not, however, stopped some women from making their mark and breaking barriers in the football industry, particularly agency business. This article seeks to delve into the journeys of such women as the author believes that this article will empower the next generation of women to pursue their dreams of becoming a football agent
Brief Historical Context on Football Agency
Historically, the football industry has always been regarded as masculine-oriented due to the physicality associated with the game. It has always been dominated by males, often former players, or coaches who leveraged their networks and knowledge of the game to represent other footballers. So, it comes as no surprise that the idea of women negotiating contracts and managing players was practically unheard of in the early 20th century as they were usually relegated to supportive positions on the sidelines
Things, however, began to change because of the 90s feminist movement as women began to work their way into various male-dominated professions. Though progress was slow, a few pioneering women dared to challenge the status quo and enter the world of football agency. They faced a lot of skepticism, discrimination, and a lack of support, yet their determination paved the way for future generations. These “trailblazers” demonstrated that women possessed the skills, knowledge, and passion necessary to succeed in this demanding industry. Their stories serve as a testament to the power of perseverance and the ability to break down barriers, even in the most entrenched of fields.
1. Rachel Anderson
Born September 1953, Rachel was the only female FIFA-licensed agent in the world in 1997 when she was banned from attending the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) awards dinner because she was a woman. She took the PFA to the High Court in 1998 after her client, Liverpool defender Julian Dicks, wrote to the PFA on her behalf but the policy was not changed by Gordon Taylor who was the chief executive. She won the case and was awarded £7,500 damages, plus costs and this can be said to arguably be the most influential act undertaken by a woman in the football industry.
She represented players like Don Hutchison, Michael Hughes, Joe Royle, and even negotiated the £3 million record transfer of Julian Hicks from West Ham to Liverpool in 1993. She also represented over 50 footballers and negotiated various deals involving young players for Premier League clubs. She has also represented huge companies like Universal and Paramount and worked on sensational brands like Superman and Bugs Bunny.
Like her, we believe that her single act of suing the PFA changed the fortunes of women in football. It is, however, unfortunate that many people do not know about it.
In 2016, Rachel was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services and efforts to Gender Equality in Football.
2. Rafaela Pimenta
Rafaela was a former academic and lawyer who worked in Brazil before encountering super agent, Mino Raiola. She is currently regarded as the most powerful woman in football. She boasts a huge portfolio of having represented players like Erling Haaland, Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gianluigi Donnarumma Matthijs de Ligt, Xavi Simons, Romelu Lukaku, Verratti, and other top talents.
Ever since Raiola’s death, Rafaela has taken a more public role. She has notably discussed, over various interviews, the gender inequality in football and claims that she has only dealt with two other women in positions of power – Marina Granovskaia and Karren Brady. It is fair to say that even when Raiola was alive, she was still a huge force to reckon with, negotiating huge deals for players alongside Raiola, and sometimes even without him as she was working on Haaland’s move to Manchester City when Raiola died. This is also backed by the comment of an anonymous Premier League director who described her then as “the most important person in football that nobody knows”.
A major credit has been how she was able to steady the ship after Raiola’s death with a lot of competitors circling the waters to snatch their clients. While her net worth is not publicly known, it is assumed to be a lot considering that she negotiates transfers for players collectively worth more than £1bn in market value.
It has not, however, been a smooth journey for Rafaela as despite being in the industry for over 25 years, she is constantly reminded that she is a woman. She has claimed that at the start, and during negotiations, she is constantly reminded that she “should not be there be there, this is a man’s universe”.
3. Shehneela Ahmed
Shehneela Ahmed is a criminal lawyer advocate and a football agent at PlatinumFA. She is Britain’s first Muslim woman to qualify as an approved agent. She is also the World’s & Britain’s first Asian female football agent for the English FA who has constantly stated that her mission is to open up the football industry for more females and people from ethnic minorities.
She was appointed by LA Galaxy’s Director of Football, David Kammarman, to build a team around Steven Gerrard and has been assisting scouts and managers in England before then
4. Jennifer Mendelewitsch
Jennifer started her career in football agency at the young age of 20. She was not a stranger to the world of football as she came from a family of agents (her father represented former PSG player Jeremy Menez). She has however stated to the public that it was a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson that shaped and influenced her career path.
One of Jennifer’s most notable achievements was orchestrating the transfer of Mohammed Kudus from FC Nordsjaelland to Ajax Amsterdam for €9 million which made her the first French agent to complete a transfer with Ajax. She also negotiated his move to West Ham for €45 million. Her agency, Supernova Management, also represents several other players like Ivorian player Ismaël Diallo and former NAC Breda striker Thierry Ambrose. Jennifer was also the only woman out of 400 agents in France when she qualified 15 years ago.
With all her success, Jennifer has constantly been mistaken to be Kudus’ girlfriend due to her relationship with her client which also shows the constant battles she faces as a female agent.
Others include
Meisa Batayneh, a Jordanian agent who is seen to have broken barriers not only as a woman but also as someone from the Middle East working in the European football market. She has successfully represented players in major leagues
In Spain, Sonia Souid stands out as a prominent figure who has represented top players like Paul Pogba and has been vocal about advocating for greater equality and transparency within the football agency world.
Samira Samii who is the only female agent working in the German Bundesliga
In Africa, Ellen Chiwenga is the first female FIFA-licensed football agent in Zimbabwe who is dedicated to developing local talent and promoting women’s football in her country
Conclusion
In conclusion, these are just a few examples of the remarkable women who have and are still making remarkable strides in football agencies across the world. Due to their sacrifices and perseverance, the landscape of the football industry has begun to change, albeit slowly. We now have more women-inclusive policies, as well as organisations like Women in Football that have supported and empowered women in the football industry, including agency.
It is, however, worthy to note that despite these advancements, the journey is far from over. For instance, regardless of their success, it is obvious that these women still experience some form of difficulty and discrimination, but they still continue to forge on to pave the way for generations coming after.
[1] https://www.womeninfootball.co.uk/news/2024/06/19/89-of-women-in-football-have-experienced-discrimination-at-work,-but-survey-reveals-surge-of-optimism-about-gender-equality-in-the-game/
