RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Every Friday after nightfall, teenage girls and young women make their way through a middle-class apartment complex and take over a field of emerald green grass. They put on their cleats, tie their hair into ponytails and test their speed with agility drills.
The Friday night practice is the only time of the week when you will find women playing soccer here.
"Every day you see teams and teams of only men, and on top of it, we also had to fight for this slot," said Bruna Cavaliere, a 16-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a professional player.