US football icons inspire Sabahans at Ambassadors Cup
KOTA KINABALU (Aug 20): 'Dream big … Anything is possible if you dream big,' said Brandi Denise Chastain, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist.
Chastain told 96 aspiring female footballers that success comes from setting goals, staying committed, and working hard.
'Nothing comes easy. It's not always about what you accomplish, but about the person you become along the way,' she shared during the three-day Kaki Bangku Soccer Clinic 2025 at Fut8 Arena, Padang Kontena in Sembulan, held from August 15-17.
Organised by Sports Visitor Alumni Coaches in collaboration with SMJ Media Sdn Bhd, Persatuan Bantuan Masyarakat Sabah (BANTU), and the US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, the sports diplomacy programme builds on the Sports Visitors Programme introduced in 2023.
Chastain (right) and McCrary greeting the women football teams during the Ambassadors Cup 2025.
This year's programme featured Chastain and former US professional footballer Maren McCrary, who conducted clinics, workshops, talks, and coaching drills for both players and coaches.
Chastain noted that since 1999, the number of girls and women playing football has grown significantly.
'Having facilities like Fut8 Arena, where young girls can play and enjoy football, is absolutely life-changing. I hope to see more pitches for girls in Sabah and Malaysia,' she said.
She added that women's football should not be compared with men's.
'We don't have to compare ourselves with men's football. Women's football has its own style — built on control, strong bonds, collaboration, and the ability to score goals,' she said.
McCrary agreed, noting that interest in women's football is growing globally, citing the highly viewed UEFA Women's Championship.
'It was a great competition with fantastic games. Women's football is gaining momentum and recognition worldwide,' she said, adding that she hopes Malaysia's women's team will one day qualify for the Women's World Cup.
The programme's highlight was the Ambassadors Cup 2025 – Women's 7-a-Side Football Tournament, a high-energy, carnival-style competition featuring eight teams. Matches were played in 10-minute halves with comeback rounds to ensure action-packed play.
Programme implementer Farish Aziz said the Ambassadors Cup was designed to provide competitive opportunities for Sabah's women footballers while promoting gender equality in sports.
'The objective is to spark women's football in Sabah. Many teams play casually, but also want the chance to experience tournament play. By organising more events like this, we can inspire youth participation and strengthen community engagement through sports,' he said.
Farish added that the Ambassadors Cup continues the Sports Visitors Programme 2023, which saw 14 Sabahan coaches attend training clinics, engage with grassroots and professional sports organisations, and participate in the United Soccer Coaches Convention in the US.
In the tournament, Unida CF emerged champions, with SSMS Phoenix FC as runners-up, Ziemal FC in third, and Jubilo Football Academy in fourth place.
In the Challenger category, Old KK United claimed victory, followed by Maxumax Women FC, Galaxy Team and Kepayan City.
Also present at the final were US Embassy political counsellor Chris Carver, US Embassy spokesperson James Butler Dewey, Sabah FA women's manager Arfizy Loy, and Sabah FA secretary-general Pradeep Samsudin.
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