Jennifer Cudjoe

"It is my first WAFCON so being able to stand there, sing the national anthem with a proud chest, in that moment I was just thinking about my family, the people close to me, people that I care about and all of them watching me."

"I need to be locked in and give everything. I am grateful that it worked out today, so I am looking forward to the next game."

"Watching from the stands in the opener, I knew that if I am going to get a chance to come in, I need to do more, work hard and give my team the balance."

"I am super excited that I finally have played at the WAFCON. This is a dream come true."

"I am kind of sad of course because this is not the result that we wanted but I am grateful for the platform."

"Football has shaped me to find myself, my identity as a woman and as a footballer. It has taught me about life and how to embrace opportunities. It gave me an opportunity to go to college and because of that, I want to be an inspiration to young girls in Ghana. I want them to dream that it is possible to make it, to play with the best in the world."

"Football has provided me with a platform to meet important people and play with and against the best of the best. These are opportunities that I do not take for granted."

"Playing in the USA gave me the mentality to work harder than everybody else, to always be ready."

"So, I have always been working hard and waiting for an opportunity, and it has finally come."

"I give back to the community, to the young ones especially those that never had an opportunity to have mentorship. We give them boots and this alone can change their lives. We have so many partners that come on board to donate and this has been important to us."

"I love DC [Washington DC] because the people are very respectful, a predominantly Black community gives a feeling of home. You will see so many Ghanaians, Ugandans, Ethiopians basically, you will see people who are the same. People who will take you as a sister and make sure that you do not feel out of place."

"Being a Nuzest Influencer means a lot to me, and not only inspire young athletes to work harder but also help them take care of their body and stay healthy as well. Where I came from, I was never introduced to nutritions as much as a player, but when I had the opportunity to further my career here, I wanted to learn all that I didn't have in my country so I can help young athletes to understand how proteins and nutrition are important for players."

"I make sure I have enough protein, carbs, and healthy fat in all my nutrition. And constantly reminding myself of what to put in my body because the work we do requires us to be in good shape all the time."

"I would say trust the process, be able to learn about the product and what works for you. And also give yourself the chance to start something new."

"This is a dream come true for me. Representing Ghana at this level is an honour, and I’m giving everything for my team."

"We’ll fight like it’s our last game."

"I never felt that there were people who were going to fight for me."

"Having them gives me a sense of freedom, knowing that they are going to tell people to fight for what I have been craving for, and asking for. Things that I have not been able to say out loud as an individual player."

"Growing up as a young girl, it seemed impossible to do things that men do."

"Soccer is a huge sport and all the boys and girls play that. But in our culture it seems like it is only for men. My family and friends, everybody would be like You have to be in the kitchen."

"I never felt that’s what I was born to do. I could do more than that, so that is something that I always wanted to change."

"Soccer is not equal for men and women."

"Every single player, be it a man or a woman, does the same job. We put in the same amount of time, the same amount of work. They give everything they got on the field, and they inspire on and off the field. It’s clear that they have to be paid or treated in the same way."

"But in this world right now, it’s different. Men get everything they want, women get less. If we ask for more, it looks as if we ask for too much."

"It will be fair if women are paid the same, treated the same, respected the same and given the same platform."

"If you put soccer on TV, whether it is a men’s or women’s game, everybody is going to watch it. Young boys, young girls, they are going to watch it. So it has to be equal."

"I remember the days when they said We cannot break that cycle. I now feel like we can break that cycle. Playing soccer isn’t only for men, it is for all young players, boys and girls. I’m glad that things are now changing."

"When I was young, there were good players in Africa, but we didn’t see them on TV."

"I had no player to look up to, until I saw the 2011 Women’s World Cup. I saw Alex Morgan, who became my role model and inspiration, not just on the field, but also outside the field: believe in yourself and your ability even if other people don’t believe in that."

"Visibility matters because for me being able to share my story is one of the ways that we can solve problems."

"I want my story to make that change and make people see that if they put the time into it, we will be able to change players’ lives and have them to face life in different ways then I went through."

"I felt like this is where I belong. This is where I wanna be for so long and watching them play the way they played, witnessing that, I was like no, this is where I wanna be."

"Every day I wake up and it feels like I’m still dreaming."

"No matter how [much] people would say ‘you’re a good player, you’re a great player,’ you always wanted that validation for yourself, feeling like I actually did it."

"Where I grew up, when you’re a kid, everybody, especially the older people when they see you play, they call on you based on the player that they think best fits your style. When I was like, eight or nine years old, Kaka was my role model. I always loved watching him play for AC Milan, and Brazil. So, one day I was playing with the boys and I needed a name to play. There was this old man who was sitting right next to the field and he was like, ‘Oh, you’re like Kaka from Brazil.’ Pretty much from then on I was Jen Kaka."

"I knew at the age of thirteen that I wanted to be a professional player. Now growing up in my country, soccer is there but it’s not as organized as a club or, like they would do here (in the US). I don’t know, it’s fun, but also it’s not as competitive as playing club."

"There are still changes that need to be made to help women’s soccer in Ghana. And I hope one day I can help to make that change, help push it to be more professional, you know, it’s difficult to be seen (by scouts and agents) which makes it hard for them (women’s players) to get out."

"It was hard for me to make friends, and my English wasn’t that good."

"It was the craziest feeling I’ve ever felt. I wanted to be on the field and I had these little tears, you know, looking at the crowd, the way game was played. And I said, this is where I belong. That’s the words that came out of my mouth. This is where I belong."

"Sometimes I keep reminding myself like, How did this happen? How did this happen? You know, but I feel like it’s hard work and if you believe in it, and you have the right people around you to push you to work harder. For me, people see where I am now. But it’s not easy, this journey."

"“Reach out to teams like I did. Send a bunch of emails to coaches. It’s all about getting the chance, because for me, I don’t have an agent, and if I didn’t go to the (Sky Blue FC) tryout, I wouldn’t have ever had the chance."

"Other than that, model your training so your intensity and the way you think will be the same as the professional game. It’s a lot of sacrifice. There’s so many things you miss out on because you need to stay focused. But it’s going to pay off for sure."