The “Michael Jackson”: First steps on the pitch

Leia, as she was first nicknamed, used to play football with her brothers and sisters growing up. Coming from a large family of 11 siblings, playing football was a family activity. Like her parents, her grandparents also raised several children.

The wattle and daub house the family lived in was small and couldn't hold all the children playing inside, so during the 1970s they all went to Santa Inacia's pitches to play football. Lot's of barbeque, supporting and football!

In the late 1970s, Leia played for teams such as Flamenguinho de Valença, Monte D'Ouro FC and Clube dos Coroados, all of them in her hometown.

In 1981, during Nossa Senhora da Gloria holliday, there was an unofficial game between Coroados and the female team of Bangu Atletico Clube. That was when the president of Bangu team, Castor de Andrade, invited Leia to play in the state's capital, Rio de Janeiro. Another invitation came the following year, during the same holliday. This time, Esporte Clube Radar, invited the 19 year old player to play for them.

Radar was a very well known beach team in Rio. They formed a female team in the early 80s that became the biggest comeback for female football after the prohibition was revoked. Marileia debuted on the team scoring 5 goals. In 1983, she shared the field with athletes such as Pelezinha, Mag, Aninha and Elzinha. "You look like Michael Jackson!"

Michael shone during Rio's State Championship and the first Brasil cup of Women's football went to Radar FC, after defeating Goias FC 5-0. They won again in Rio and conquered the bichampionship of Guanabara Cup.
Even though these championships existed, there was no professionalization. Athletes like Michael, playing for famous teams in Rio, would get paid C$60.000; the equivalent of US$ 5,61.

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Part 2: The regulation of women's football after its legalization.
Part 3: Reference in the Brazilian National Women's Team and in Torino.