Indigenous Brazilian soccer players eye Women’s World Cup

By MAURICIO SAVARESE
AP Sports Writer

PERUIBE, Brazil (AP) — Brazil’s Indigenous women often lead their villages and groups but for many years they were looked down on when they tried to play soccer. The South American nation has improved its structure for female players recently and Indigenous women say they also feel encouraged to take up the sport. And they have done so nationwide. This year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is a world away but many Brazilian Indigenous soccer players dream of being in the tournament someday. Indigenous Brazilian leader Guaciane da Silva Gomes says “what they do there also inspires us here. We are all seeking visibility.”