Maia's moment of glory: 'THIS IS FOR MY DAUGHTER'

The footy great's goal is to leave the sport in a safer place than when she played

- Aroha Awarau

When New Zealand was announced as the co-host with Australia for the 2023 FIFA Woman’s World Cup, no one was as proud as former national captain Maia Jackman, who is regarded as one of this country’s greatest female footballers.

The 48-year-old has worked tirelessly to grow the sport for women in Aotearoa, as a former player and leader. She never imagined that in her lifetime, New Zealand would host a women’s world cup and she would be called upon to help announce the draw for the event, beginning July 20.

“Pulling the countries names out for the draw was a really big deal,” she shares. “It was nerve-wracking. I was worried that I was going to fall over, but it went well in the end!”

Maia, who is Māori from the iwi of Ngāpuhi, loved football ever since she was eight years old, playing in the backyard in her hometown of Kerikeri. Her mother saw her talent and enrolled her to play in the local team, full of boys, as there were no girls’ teams in Northland at the time.

“I had short hair and was playing with the boys and often was mistaken for a boy,” she recalls. “When I started to make rep teams, some parents complained because I was chosen over their sons. That made me more determined because I wanted to let my abilities shine and have my skills on the field do the talking.”

Also, Maia was adopted and being on the football field gave her a sense of belonging.

“When you are adopted, you struggle with identity and sports gave me an identity.”