One year after our previous pre-season venture to the Costa del Sol, the Aztecs returned, and this time with a more packed agenda. We would face our old friends from 2023, while also taking trips further afield to a new continent.
Representing the Aztecs this year were Maye Reyna, Lauren Sayler, Laura Ingram, Nicki Curtis, Bekah Tonks, Amy Maidment, and Beth Anderson. Accompanying them were Coach Will Wilson, and social media master, and club secretary, Mariana Betancourt. A depleted squad, carrying a few knocks, we weren't going to let this deter us from the amazing experience ahead, and the opportunity to wear the special edition mint green kit.
On the morning of Tuesday the 20th of August, the team were up bright an early at Bournemouth airport, making the two and a quarter hour flight direct from the south coast of England, to the south coast of Spain. It was upon landing in Malaga that the balls came out of the bag for the first time. The onset of boredom was too much to bare, while waiting in the long lines for the car rental.
After the cars were collected, the team drove to Velez-Malaga, where we stayed in a lovely five-bedroom house. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, eating, swimming, and featured stints in both the pool and the sea.
Wednesday 21st of August 2024: Hercules FC 1 v 23 Southampton Aztecs
Gibraltar was a two hour drive down the coast. We parked on the Spanish side of the border and then walked across the border, which is the Gibraltar airport runway. This did allow us to view some planes coming in to land, from a safe distance, before being picked up by Jon and Leo from Hercules FC on the other side.
Jon and Leo generously picked us up, and took us on a tour of beautiful Gibraltar. They allowed the team to see the sights, learn the history, and enjoy a day out on the rock. This involved a bit of shopping, a bit of eating, and exploring the incredible sports facilities that Gibraltar has to offer. The girls were desperate to meet the monkeys, even offering them a chance to play for us in the game later that day, but the monkeys sadly declined.
After taking in the sights, it was time to get down to business. There was futsal to be played, and we were in another new location, adding Gibraltar to the list of countries we'd played in. There's only one chance to be the first, and the girls were vying to take that special place in history, as our first goal scorer in Gibraltar. Ironically, it was an own goal that first found the net for the Aztecs, being tuned in after a Bekah Tonks cross. Bekah tried to claim it, but the cross was not on target, so could not be awarded to her. Our second goal of the match was then scored by Amy Maidment, who goes down in history as our first goal scorer in Gibraltar.
Amy won the ball off a long throw, lent it to Bekah Tonks, who beat her defender, and then laid it across goal for Amy to finish from inside the D.
Watch the highlights below!
Six of our players got on the scoresheet during this game, including Lauren Sayler, popping up for a corner. This was a special moment, as it was Lauren's first game back after a year out with injury. She became our first goalkeeper to scorer abroad. But it was Bekah Tonks who stole an even bigger record...
After stealing the ball and rounding the keeper, Bekah netted for the sixth time in this game, taking the record for most goals scored in a game abroad by a single player, which was previously held by Alicia Povey, who found the net five times against Torre Casabermeja in 2023.
Enjoy some action shots from the game!
We cannot adequately express our gratitude to Jon, Leo, and Hercules FC for their hospitality and generosity. A class bunch, former strangers, who are now friends. We also exchanged gifts, as we did with each team, providing them with pennants and a couple Aztecs shirts. Hercules gifted us two shirts, which were fought over, before being snapped up by Bekah Tonks and Nicki Curtis. Here they are on the roof of our house in Malaga, with a message for Hercules.
To our friends at Hercules, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
Thursday 22nd of August 2024: Playas de Malaga 3 v 1 Southampton Aztecs
Day three now, and we still hadn't adjusted to the heat of the Spanish sun. Yet, we much prefer it to whatever it is we get in England! The daytime was spent relaxing, catching up on sleep, and floating in the pool. In the evening, it was time for futsal!
Arranging matches in Malaga proved difficult, due to the fayre, but our friends from 2023 Casabermeja came through. We'd been able to arrange an evening of futsal between three teams; ourselves, Torre Casabermeja, and second division opponents, Playas de Malaga. Playas de Malaga were up first for the Aztecs, who were not only excited to put on the mint green kit for the first time, but also to test themselves against a top side.
Playas de Malaga played a very different style to what is exhibited by most teams in England. Their movements were fluid, their pivot play exceptional, and their pressing was relentless. These are girls who have been playing futsal for a long time. In fact, in Spain, female players cannot play football and futsal simultaneously after the age of fourteen. Couple that with the facilities they are playing in, which are council owned, international sized, cheaper to rent than England, and are often walking distance of most of the players, and you can see why it feels like they are lightyears ahead of us.
This venue in Casabermeja is for a village with a population of just over 4,000. It's an international sized court, right in the centre, and has 192 seats on that far side. This is the norm in Spain. Courts there are built with futsal and handball in mind, and will also consider spectators. As you can tell from the lines across the court, lots of other sports can be played here. This is in stark contrast to England, where we have sports halls with no run-off, no seating, and are built with netball being the largest sport. The difference in size is a 40x20m surface in Spain, and a 30x16 surface in England. The game very much becomes a different sport when the space constraints are adjusted so drastically.
The aim of this piece is not to rip on England, however, it is eye-opening to see what other countries do. Many decent, even lower-level Spanish teams, will be practising in a place like this maybe two or three times a week, with lots of games in the local area. In England, even top teams are practising once a week on a netball court, considering a two hour drive as a local derby. Most female players in England will come across into futsal as adult footballers, with minimal prior futsal experience. Until we have the facilities and can make the game more accessible, we will always be behind.
That being said, enjoy the highlights below!
Have a look at a few photos from the match.
Thursday 22nd of August 2024: Torre Casabermeja 1 v 1 Southampton Aztecs
We had a brief rest while the two Spanish sides contested on the court.
Enjoy the highlights below.
And some photos too!
Saturday 24th of August 2024: Chabiba Tangier 2 v 7 Aztecs
For the first time, the Aztecs left Europe, and headed to Africa. We think we might be the first English women's club team to play in Africa. Nobody has yet corrected us on that. The short ferry ride from Tarifa in Spain to Tangier in Morocco took one hour, and was a trip backwards in time, with Morocco being the same time zone as London.
Upon exiting the ferry terminal, we were greeted by our new Moroccan friends; Othmane, Hamid, and Oussama, who presented the girls with lovely red and white flowers.
We were picked up in a minibus, and given a tour of the beautiful city of Tangier. We need to state on record how sorry we are for the singing of the girls during the minibus ride. We had no idea they were going to do it, and no idea it would be that bad. Nonetheless, our first stop was a walk through the Kasbah, the old fort city, with lots of market stalls, selling clothes, trinkets, souvenirs, and knock-off football shirts. We saw several mosques and churches, a symbol of the deep and interesting history of the area.
Along the tour, we got to see some palaces and mansions, brand new sports facilities, alluding to the government's commitment to sporting growth, we saw where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and we also got to meet some camels, including the lovely Sabrina. Once we had seen the sights, it was time to fuel-up on snacks and drinks, and then head to the arena to commence battle on the court.
Much like what we have seen in Spain and France, the Moroccan facilities put us to shame in England. Full-sized courts, high ceilings, plenty of room for seating, and an electronic scoreboard. As far as we could tell, this was one of several facilities in Tangier of a similar quality. And our opponents, Chabiba Tangier, are not the only women's team in Tangier. A completely different futsal infrastructure when compared to England. It feels more and more like we make futsal work, often kicking and screaming, in England, while these other countries are built for it. The Moroccan men are African champions, and it wouldn't be completely inconceivable for them to win the upcoming World Cup in Uzbekistan, having beaten giants Argentina, Portugal, and Spain in recent memory. Likewise, France have had a meteoric rise on the court, since their federation decided to take futsal seriously about a decade ago. These countries have the infrastructure, so it's no surprise they are succeeding on the court.
When we arrived at the sports hall, there was a buzz already. A good sized crowd was already in attendance, watching the youth game before ours. One of the many benefits of having facilities such as these is the propensity to play back-to-back games, which allows futsal spectators to strap-in and enjoy a feast of futsal. Facilities that are placed in densely populated areas, with good transport links, allow for more fans to be in attendance. In hot countries like Morocco, it also provides much needed shade for those looking to escape the sun.
No direct sunlight, but we still felt the heat. The humidity inside was like nothing we had experience in England. It's all part of the game. Players have to adapt to the circumstances, including the environment, and do the best with the cards they're dealt. In our case, Beth Anderson had suffered an injury against Casabermeja, and was struggling to walk. Lauren Sayler and Laura Ingram were okay to play, but nowhere near 100%. Sayler did her shift on court, with Reyna staying as keeper for the entire game.
Everyone inside the arena was so kind and welcoming to us, regardless of the level of their English or Spanish. Smiles, hugs, and handshakes are a universal language. Even the kids in attendance had important questions to ask, such as discovering if we preferred Barcelona or Real Madrid. Before the match began, we were presented with roses, and enough water to last a month (which was all consumed before the conclusion of the game).
As if the occasion wasn't grand enough, we had Champions League walkout music, and then had the national anthems played! Time for the match to begin.
Enjoy the highlights of the Tangier International Futsal Cup!
And some photos of the match!
The game itself drew quite a lot of attention, with journalists and local media in attendance. Both Bekah Tonks and Will Wilson were interviewed, which you can see from two different outlets below.
The Aztecs were able to overcome Chabiba Tangier 7-2. It was 4-0 at half-time to the English, who were doing all they could to slow the game down, when contending with one sub and the scorching heat. Bekah Tonks had a first-half hat-trick, and Lauren Sayler got the fourth. After the restart, the hosts replied with two goals of their own in quick succession, putting the Aztecs on the back foot. Southampton rode the storm, and reasserted their dominance, following two more goals from Tonks, and an own goal. Curtis, Ingram, and Maidment were unlucky not to add to the tally, with each coming close. As the game drew to a close, the exhausted, dehydrated Aztecs were just desperate to get the job done, awaiting the sweet salvation of the final whistle.
We have to say a huge thank you to Othmane, and to everyone else we met in Tangier. This was a dream come true, and the experience of a lifetime.
Enjoy these photos from our tour of Tangier.
Records:
As with any big trip like this, there are new individual and team milestones that are achieved or broken.
The Aztecs have now played in four countries abroad (Spain, France, Gibraltar, Morocco). We are not aware that any NFS women's team has done more.
We think the Aztecs may be the first English women's club team to play in Africa. We would love for this to be verified.
We must also surely be the first English women's club to win a trophy in Africa, perhaps another continent altogether.
Our women's team has been on four trips. Only Amy Maidment, Bekah Tonks, and Nicki Curtis have been on all of them.
Amy Maidment became the first Aztecs player to score in Gibraltar.
Bekah Tonks became the first Aztecs player to score in Morocco.
Lauren Sayler became the first goalkeeper to score abroad.
Only Bekah Tonks and Lauren Sayler have scored for the Aztecs on two continents (Europe and Africa).
Bekah Tonks holds the record for most goals scored in a single game abroad by an Aztecs player, scoring six against Hercules.
Laura Ingram and Lauren Sayler scored their first goals abroad, both in Gibraltar.
Sayler and Ingram scoring means we now have four different nationalities to have scored abroad for the Aztecs; English, Swedish, Equatoguinean, and now American.
The 23-1 win over Hercules now becomes our biggest overseas victory.
No Aztecs player has scored in four countries, but Bekah Tonks, Beth Anderson, and Nicki Curtis have scored in three. Bekah Tonks - Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco.
Beth Anderson & Nicki Curtis - France, Gibraltar, Spain
Beth Anderson is the only player to score during every trip she's been on, scoring first at the Sporting Paris tournament, scoring at the Mondial Futsal Femenin in Nantes, and now scoring during the Malaga 2024 Tour in Gibraltar and Spain.
Mayela Reyna becomes the first Mexican player to represent this Mexican club abroad.
The previous trip to Malaga, which was our first trip abroad, was only twelve months ago. This means in one year, the Aztecs have been on four trips, and played in four countries, in addition to England.
Thank you!
This trip could not have happened without the players buying into the idea. We have a group that is committed, determined, and likeable enough to want to spend time together, in these sometimes stressful, often pressurised environments. We must also give huge thanks to Mariana Betancourt, who documents and promotes what we do. The club could not run without her. She captures the special moments, allowing us to have records of these unbelievable occasions, that will last a lifetime.
Once again, we have to give thanks to our friends in Gibraltar, Spain, and Morocco. These guys went above and beyond, moving heaven and earth, to get games on for us. They treated us so kindly and generously. We are truly humbled. Please come visit us in England, to allow us to return the favour one day.
Support the Aztecs!
Futsal is an expensive sport, and every team is struggling to keep their heads above water. Not a penny of the money we have raised through sponsorship has ever been spent on our trips. The sponsorship we've received has barely even covered the basics of an NFS or NFL season. The players pay monthly and yearly fees to be part of the Aztecs, Times are tough, but if anyone wanted to offer some support in our direction, they'd be getting a local, national, and international audience, and helping the team continue to compete at the top level of English futsal.
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