Evelina Cabrera

Evelina Cabrera
Personal information
Full name María Evelina Cabrera
Date of birth (1986-09-26) 26 September 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in)
Managerial career
Years Team
2021 Pachuca Reserves and Academy

Evelina Cabrera (born 26 September 1986) is an Argentine football coach and manager. She lived on the street until she became first a teacher and then a football player for Club Atlético Platense. She started the women's football association in Argentina (AFFAR). She has spoken at the United Nations and been recognised by the BBC as one of their 100 women in 2020. In June 2021, she was appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for Equity in Sports of the Organization of American States (OAS).[1]

Life

Cabrera was born in San Fernando[2] in 1986. When she was thirteen, her parents split, and neither of them accepted her custody. She was on the street until she was seventeen where people shared food and looked after each other. However, when her boyfriend hit her, she tried to end her own life.[3] She returned to school and she become a gymnastics teacher. She went with a friend to the football trials for Club Atlético Platense and she was recruited and on the team. She remain the team until 2012 when an injury stopped her from continuing. She took to coaching and organising at the Club Atlético Nueva Chicago.[4]

She was one of the first women in Argentina to become a football manager.[5]

When she was 27, she founded the Asociación Femenina de Fútbol Argentino (AFFAR) Argentinian Women's Football Association.[5] in 2013.[6]

Carrera's work was noted and she was invited to talk at the United Nations. She said that she prepared what she was going to say but when it came to it she decided to just talk without notes. She understood that it was well received.[3]

In 2020, she was still leading AFFAR.[6] During the break from football during the Covid-19 pandemic she occupied her time with writing a book that she titled "Altanegra". The book explains her story and how she came to create the Argentinian Women's Football Association.[7]

In 2020, Cabrera was recognised for her work and she was one of the BBCs 100 Women.[5]

In June 2021, the Secretary General of the OAS appointed Cabrera as Goodwill Ambassador for Equity in Sports of the OAS. Her work is focused on promoting projects that close the gender gap and promote equity in sports.[1]

She was given a civic reception in Auguust 2002 by the mayor of her hometown, Juan Andreotti. He recognised her leadership in equality in sports.He and the Secretary of Development and Environment, Eva Andreotti gave her a painting.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development". August 2009.
  2. ^ a b Gómez, Fernando (7 August 2022). "El Municipio de San Fernando distinguió a la vecina Evelina Cabrera, representante del fútbol femenino y la inclusión". Que Pasa Web (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Evelina Cabrera, historia de una luchadora". Marca.com (in Spanish). 28 September 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Evelina Cabrera - RED/ACCIÓN" (in Spanish). 20 November 2018. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Evelina Cabrera: "El precio de la meritocracia es terrible"". www.telam.com.ar. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  7. ^ De 2020, 21 De Septiembre. "Evelina Cabrera: "Me excita que los hombres me subestimen primero y después me pidan consejo"". Infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 24 November 2020.{cite web}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)