Melbourne Victory midfielder and Australia international Alex Chidiac speaks to KEEPUP’s Sacha Pisani about her Common Goal involvement as she tackles social issues.
For Alex Chidiac, football is more than just kicking a ball. It’s a sense of community, bringing people together.
That’s why the Melbourne Victory star and Matilda has taken an active role in changing the world through the beautiful game.
Like Socceroo turned activist Craig Foster, Chidiac is tackling social issues. From pledging part of her income to charity, to volunteering, devoting most of her Thursday night’s to the Big Issue’s Street Soccer women’s program.
All of this while strutting her stuff in the Liberty A-League for Victory.
Speaking to KEEPUP, the 17-time Australia international said: “It all kind of comes from my grandmother really. She was heavily involved in the Polish community in Adelaide. Always volunteering and I really saw that side of her.
“I was around it growing up, how much she did for other people. I played for a Polish club too and I saw her impact within the club as well and I loved that community side of things. I’ve always wanted to give back in some way.
“I think I found the perfect mix being able to give back while still playing football. I’m out most Thursday’s at the Big Issue Street Soccer women’s program. I love being out there with that group of women.
“There’s a 73-year-old that is out there every week. I just love hearing their stories and how they got their. The passion they have for the game. It’s not just about being a professional footballer and trying to make it, they play the game and it really makes a difference within their lives and circumstances. I love seeing that.”
Chidiac joined the Common Goal movement in 2019, her and fellow Matilda Aivi Luik becoming the first Australian women players to donate 1% of their salary to the project, which is used to fund charities across the globe.
Chidiac discovered Common Goal in a lift at the Wanda Metropolitano during her time at Atletico Madrid and joined immediately.
“I was at the Wanda stadium in Madrid. I got asked to do a talk there,” said Chidiac, who won the league with Atletico in 2018-19 and also served as an assistant coach of the club’s academy side. “I had no idea what I was getting myself into but the club just put me forward. I was sitting there on stage with the headset on, it was all translating in Spanish.
“Ben [Miller – one of the founding members of Common Goal] was there and he approached me afterwards, and started talking about what he does and what Common Goal is about. I knew the name basically because Juan Mata is my favourite player and he was obviously part of the whole big launch of Common Goal. After I found out more about it, I initially wanted to get involved.
“I was at a time when I needed to be part of something more. I’d been overseas for the first time, I was really lacking that community sense and that was a way to feel connected again. That was the main reason I wanted to join straightaway. I always felt I could be doing so much more as a footballer but just didn’t know where to start. Common Goal was the perfect platform for that.”
For Chidiac, it’s about highlighting the “real essence of football”.
“It all started out as a community game, bringing people together,” the 23-year-old said as she detailed her ambitions through Common Goal. “It has that power to bring communities and people from different walks of life together, no matter the race, religion, gender or who they love. That’s the real side of football for me and that’s why I play the game. That’s what made me feel connected with a whole bunch of people too and that’s where I’m really passionate about.
“Hopefully get more professional footballers on board with that message to give back to their communities to help maybe those less fortunate that can’t access the game as well or even be able to use the game to help them in their situation whether it’s through education about different things in their own communities. Basically to use this game for the greater good.”
In 2019, Chidiac pledged her 1% to Moving The Goalposts – an organisation using football to help girls and women overcome social obstacles in Kenya and create a safe space for them to understand their rights and take up leadership roles in their communities.
“I first reached out to them a few months after I joined. I wanted to check in after COVID hit,” said Chidiac. “One of the participants sent a letter to me and I sent a letter back.
“I’ve been trying to keep in contact with them ever since. They’re kind of the inspiration for me starting my podcast and they will be featuring on it for an episode.
“I really do love what they’re all about and I’m hoping to get out to Kenya one day. I’ve had many invites. It’s hard to pick just one organisation to support but after reading about them and the impact they’ve had, it’s inspiring.”
Manchester United’s Mata, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini and Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels are among the high-profile footballers signed up to the cause, while Danish outfit FC Nordsjaelland are the first professional club involved.
But it is the women and female leadership shining through – Chidiac, Luik, United States superstars Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, as well as Manchester City’s Caroline Weir.
Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Libby Copus-Brown, former Brisbane Roar midfielder Isobel Dalton – who now plays for Lewes in the Women’s Super League – and Melbourne City defender Winonah Heatley have since joined the Aussie female contingent at Common Goal.
Former Sydney FC star Alex Brosque has been a member since 2019 but there is a glaring absence of Isuzu UTE A-League and Aussie men’s players. Chidiac is hoping to change that.
“I feel like for women, we do play for the love of it,” Chidiac said as she expressed her pride with so many women joining the cause. “It’s not like we do get a lot of money for what we do.
“We don’t get a lot of support. We’ve had to fight for everything so we know what it’s like. That’s why we want to give back more and help the future generations, and keep fighting. I’m proud to be part of a lot of incredible women who’ve signed up. You see within Australia too quite a few have signed up and hopefully we’ll get more on the men’s side too.
“It’s about educating because lots don’t really know what’s going on. Within the A-League Men’s side I think a lot of them don’t realise how differently we get treated. It’s only until you have that discussion that they start to open their eyes a little bit. It’s not necessarily their fault but that’s just the way men’s football has been put on that pedestal from the beginning.
“It is amazing to be part of a lot of women speaking up and wanting to make change. But we need to get the men involved as well because they do get the big bucks essentially that will be able to help these organisations with their 1%.”
Chidiac – albeit on loan from JEF United – and Victory seem to be a match made in heaven.
A-Leagues outfit Victory are providing their support to the members of Afghanistan’s women’s team, who relocated to Melbourne following the fall of the Afghan government in August, allowing the Taliban to take back control of the country after 20 years.
The team will play under Victory’s banner this year, with full support of the club’s football operations.
Foster played a leading role in evacuating the Afghan team from Kabul airport in collaboration with the Australian government last year.
Chidiac added: “It’s great Victory are involved with the Afghan women’s national team too. Obviously what’s happened to them is horrific but if we can have a chance to be able to support them and help integrate back into a country like Australia, football can play a huge part in that because that was something that was just taken away from them.
“There’s a lot more that needs to be done within that space but to be able to create that safe environment within football, that’s something I want to be part of. Hopefully I see myself in that space in the future too.”
