On Monday, HLN in Belgium published a heartwarming interview with Justine Vanhaevermaet and Amadou Onana, who are both playing at Everton these days.
The two see each other from time to time at the club, admittedly mostly in the gym, where they exchange, as both play for Belgium in their respective Football Associations.
Despite a nine-year gap between the two, the Everton stars saw a lot of themselves in each other, especially when it comes to how they play on the pitch.
Vanhaevermaet praised the 22-year-old midfielder: ?His physicality, but I also admire the energy he radiates. Contagious. He stands on a field with an attitude. That?s super cool to see. For the rest, good passing, vision.?
Onana had the same to say about the 31-year-old: ?Good passing, that?s for sure. Her physical strength. Her tackling too. A bit like me actually, I can recognise myself in Justine.? The more the two discussed about their lives and careers, the more they realised how similar they were, especially when it came to the fact they both struggled early on: Justine with injuries and Amadou with people believing in him.
The Everton Women?s star said: ?I?ve had a lot of setbacks. From the age of 18, 19 until I was 24, I was injured almost every year. I was still playing football in Belgium at the time. It wasn?t professional then. Then I decided to turn pro and try abroad.
?I could just as well have quit, because I had obtained my diploma. Then I decided I would do everything I could to achieve m...