In April, Rosa in Upper I was invited to train and play for Reading FC U9/U10 girls’ development squad every week.

She played her first three matches, back-to-back in London, on a wet and windy day during half term (5-0 win, 1-2 loss, 1-2 loss) against most girls a year older than herself.

She played in defence throughout, and the feedback from her coach was very positive. She was commended for her maturity, vision, and, above all, composure on the ball. She ignored shouts to boot the ball upfield and clear it, instead taking her time after winning tackles/blocks to look up and pass to a teammate.

She said representing her home town for the first time was very special.