ULTRA MAG | ISSUE 2 - ALEX CHIDIAC

Alex we’re so thankful we caught you just before you took off to Japan on your next adventure. Before we get to all things Japan - we’d like to go back to the start. We spoke about when you moved across from Adelaide to Melbourne City by yourself as a 16 year old. What was that experience like? 

From a young age I knew I wanted to travel with this game. I was lucky enough to have had some experience away from home with various state soccer trips and Youth Australian camps/tours which helped me adapt to life away from my family. I’m very fortunate that my parents have always been extremely supportive of my career which made the transition to Melbourne a lot easier. It definitely took some getting used to, but I believe having that experience at a young age prepared me for living overseas. 

Joe Montemurro was the man who brought you across from Adelaide to join that extremely talented Melbourne City team. What was it like playing under him and which other people have had a big influence on your life?

For Joe to give me that opportunity at a young age and show his trust in my ability as a footballer meant a lot to me. I think everyone who was part of that first ever season can agree it was such a special group of players and the professional environment driven by Joe and all the Melbourne City staff gave us all the perfect opportunity to develop. I learnt a lot from him and my teammates on the field but more importantly the friendships I developed off the field that season have carried on with me up until now.

I was lucky enough to meet Aivi Luik (someone I consider to be my sister now) that season and we instantly connected with our love of football, adventure, travel and the occasional prank…. her commitment to this game, her kindness and generosity and pure love for life truly inspires me to keep going no matter what setbacks I face. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the lessons I’ve learnt from Aivi so I’d easily say she would be one of my biggest influences.

I would also like to mention Joshua Smith, I met Josh for the first time when I was 17 years old just after that Melbourne City season for some strength and conditioning work back in Adelaide. We instantly clicked and he became one of my best friends / a mentor. I admire his constant personal development and dedication to his work and can’t thank him enough for the endless support he’s given me.

I also can’t forget to mention my best friend and partner Erin Clout. We’ve been together for 2 years now and I can’t find the words to describe how grateful I am for all that she’s done for me. She has helped me see my potential beyond football which has sparked a desire to speak up about things I’m passionate about and find my voice in the world. She’s brought balance to my life and everyday I can’t believe how lucky I am to have her by my side on this journey.

16 was also when you made your debut for the national team which is a remarkable achievement. What was the moment like for you and is playing for Australia something that really motivates you? 

It was a strange moment to be honest, I was subbed in with 3 minutes to go and I remember just running around like crazy and then it was over. I didn’t even touch the ball. Afterwards it hit me that I had actually made my debut for the Matildas and it became a proud moment.

Growing up I didn’t really know there was a women’s national team. I was thinking I was going to be playing for Chelsea FC alongside Didier Drogba one day.

It all happened really fast when I was young and I don’t think I was prepared for those moments back then. In my eyes I was just a kid from Adelaide that wanted to kick a ball around in my oversized clothing and next I thing I know I’m kicking a ball around with Australia’s best. It’s something I will always want to be part of, it’s an absolute honour to be picked to represent your country. What really motivates me is the love I have for this game and the incredible people you get to meet along the way; that’s what makes the experience so much better. As long as I’ve got a ball at my feet, I’ll be happy.

We hope that the World Cup on home soil is finally going to put the spotlight on women’s football it deserves. What sort of legacy do you hope to create for the future of women’s football?  

It’s clear already how big the World Cup is going to be for Australian and New Zealand football. I hope to see it bring more investment in the game to allow for the W-League to progress to a full-time professional league. I’d like to see the large number of junior participation across Australia get the recognition it deserves from decision makers to allow our juniors space to play, opportunities to develop, with visible role models and pathways within the game – either as a player, coach, volunteer or administrator. 

Spending a couple of seasons in Spain must have really given you an appreciation for different cultures and experiences - is that what also drew you to the move to Japan? 

One of my favourite parts of the game is being able to travel to so many different countries, meet people from different backgrounds and learn about their culture. Living in Spain gave me this experience and has definitely inspired me to keep learning more about life around the world. When this opportunity arose to move to Japan, I knew I had to take it; not only for the football, but for the chance to explore this beautiful country and learn what life is like here.  

What are you most looking forward to at JEF United Chiba? 

Firstly, I have to say, to be part of the first ever professional women’s league in Japan is truly an honour. I grew up admiring Japanese football and I’m grateful that JEF United has given me the opportunity to play in this league. I’m really looking forward to developing my game here and adapting to a new style of play. I know I’m going to learn a lot from my teammates and the coaches at the club so it’s an exciting new challenge to face. I am also excited to meet JEF United’s mascots - Jeffy and Unity and hope to come across Chiitan, a some-what rebel mascot here in Japan at some point in my time here.

The fans seem to have taken to you already. What’s it been like connecting with a new group of fans? 

The JEF United fans, as well as fans across the whole WE League, have been so welcoming and kind. I’ve received numerous messages of support and they seem really excited to have me and other foreigners in the league which is a great feeling. I hope I can give back to them by playing some exciting football.

How’s learning Japanese going? 

I’m starting to get confident with basic Japanese phrases, but I think it’s going to be a long process. I’m watching a Japanese show called Terrace House on Netflix which is an entertaining way to get familiar with the language and learn new words. It’s also given me a relatively good understanding of cultural norms and life of a young person in Japan which is very important. The goal is to be able to communicate with my teammates and the JEF United fans so I’m quite motivated to learn each day.

We are so impressed with your involvement in various charities such as Common Goal. It’s great to see athletes using their voice for good. Can you shed some light on the organisations you work with and what you’re passionate about?

In early 2019, I joined Common Goal and pledged 1% of my salary to an organisation in Kenya called Moving the Goalposts (MTG). MTG use football to educate and empower girls in their community about their rights, particularly in relation to sexual and reproductive health and how to overcome social obstacles and take up leadership roles within their community. I’m also an ambassador for One Culture Football in Adelaide and Football United in Sydney. Both organisations provide opportunities for young people from new arrival or migrant backgrounds to build ties with their community and build confidence within themselves to make positive choices. More recently I linked up with PARK SSC who partner with charities and organisations that aim to tackle the inequalities of the world. Their initiatives benefit refugees, asylum seekers and at-risk youth around the globe. I’ve also been lucky enough to go out to see the amazing work of The Big Issue Street Soccer Program, particularly the North Melbourne Women’s Program, who I love going out and playing alongside whenever I get the chance.

I want to play my part in using football as a tool for social good throughout my career, and hopefully continue that work well into the future after my playing days are over. Whilst the main goal is to support the organisations with their work, it also provides that much needed balance for me outside of playing and training. It gives me an outlet to develop away from football and learn about the community sector which I see myself working in in the future. I’m passionate about equal opportunity and believe that everyone should feel safe to be themselves regardless of religion, race, beliefs, gender, or who you love and I, like many of these organisations, believe that through this game we can help to achieve this.

What are some ethical issues you would encourage others to look into to ensure we all have a bright future?

There are so many social causes out there and opportunities for people to do their part to support various organisations and charities that help make the world a better place. Listing them all off is difficult but I encourage everyone to sit down and think about their values and what matters most to them and the community around them. Whether it is about the environment or animals, political or human rights based, there are so many ways as an individual we can look to make changes to our daily actions to contribute to a better world and society. It can be bigger actions in terms of where we put our money or just by being conscious in our everyday decision making such as considering reducing waste in the household (for example, starting to compost and eliminating single use plastics). One really important part of this whole journey that I have put more effort into lately is educating myself on history/events. There is so much going on in the world and it is hard to keep up with it all but I’d encourage people to start in their own backyard on what’s happening in Australia, in particular learning about Indigenous Australian history.

Can you talk us through your involvement in the design of one of the long sleeve tee’s we shot you in? 

The idea of the shirt was to fundraise for MTG outside of my 1% pledge to provide exposure to the work they are doing for young girls and women in Kenya. I coordinated with the Director of MTG and got the all clear to use their logo on a shirt and include the word - TUNAWEZA - which translates to ‘We can’ in English on the sleeve. It’s going to be a continuous fundraiser as I’ll create various pieces of MTG clothing over the years which people can purchase. All of the proceeds outside of the cost of creating the shirt go directly to MTG.

https://movingthegoalposts.secure-decoration.com/shop

During the shoot you also spoke about a podcast you have coming up. What will you be chatting about and when does it come out for readers who might be interested?

It’s something I’ve been slowly working on in the background for the past couple of years and I’m nearly ready to press play on it. Without giving too much away, the podcast will be diving into football for good organisations and giving a platform to people who either work in this space or have had their lives positively influenced by football. Keep an eye on my social media for announcements coming soon.

What are some of your favourite tunes to get you in the zone? You might have to listen to some Japanese J-Pop pre-game now?

I have a slight obsession with Eurovision so if you want to get me in the zone a song from one of the contests is the way to go. I do however have a feeling I’m really going to get into J-Pop. 

Where does Alex Chidiac see herself in 10 years time and what does she want to have achieved by then? 

It’s hard to say where I see myself in 10 years time but I’m going to list a couple things I would like to achieve by then:

⁃ Hugging a penguin

⁃ Appear on Eurovision (this may be difficult as I can’t sing or dance but I’d happily be used as a prop)

⁃ Play at a World Cup

⁃ Play in a 5-aside tournament alongside Juan Mata and Didier Drogba on a rooftop in Japan as the sun is setting (specific but I’ve got it all planned out, just need to get Juan and Didier on board)

⁃ Get sponsored by Twinnings so I can have unlimited tea for the rest of my life

⁃ Appear on The Bold and The Beautiful for a couple of episodes (this one is a bit of a stretch but so are most of the storylines on the show)

⁃ Have a Lego themed birthday party

Photography by Aleksandar Jason.