Meet Eniola Aluko: First Black Woman to Own an Italian Football Club
In a landmark move for women’s sports, Eniola Aluko, former England international, has become the first black woman to own a club in Italy’s prestigious football league.
Excel Magazine International gathered that Aluko acquired a significant stake in the women’s team of FC Como, marking a groundbreaking advancement in football administration.
Aluko, aged 37, announced her new role within the ownership group named Mercury 13 on her X (formerly Twitter) page, revealing their acquisition of a majority stake with a bold vision backed by $100 million.
Como Women, a team established just in 2020, now looks to solidify its presence in the top-tier of Italian Serie A under Aluko’s leadership.
The team plays in a 3,700-capacity stadium, setting the stage for significant developments under their new ownership.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1987, and moving to Birmingham, England at the tender age of six months, Aluko has had an illustrious career both on and off the pitch.
Her professional football journey includes memorable stints at top clubs such as Chelsea and Juventus and later shifting gears to impactful roles in sports management, including her recent position as the Sporting Director at Aston Villa W.F.C. and Angel City FC.
Throughout her playing career, Aluko earned 102 caps for the England national team, representing her country in multiple FIFA Women’s World Cups and the 2012 London Olympics.
Her transition to football management was marked by insightful contributions to football broadcasting, covering both men’s and women’s matches across various networks like ITV, BT Sport, and Amazon Prime.
