Eni Aluko, a former sports director for Aston Villa and Angel City, has become the first black female football club owner in Italy. She is a part of the Mercury 13 investment group, which has acquired a majority stake in FC Como Women, a women’s football club in Italy. The group has invested $100 million in women’s football teams across Latin America and Europe. Aluko’s appointment as the owner of Como FC marks a historic moment in Italian football and a significant step towards promoting diversity and inclusivity in the sport.
Aluko’s ownership role is a triumph for black sports investors and diversity advocates. The Mercury 13 group is investing $100 million in women’s football teams across Latin America and Europe, highlighting the growing interest in the women’s game.
The Mercury 13 group plans to create a strong lineup of women’s football clubs, capitalizing on the sport’s global popularity. Aluko, who will take charge of Como FC, will spearhead this goal.
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Como Women is an Italian football club from Como that currently plays in the top division of women’s football in Italy, called Serie A. The club was founded in 1991 as a section of Polisportiva Vigor Grandate and later became an independent club called FCF Como 2000 in 1997. The following year, the club was promoted to Serie B, and in 2001, it made it to Serie A for the first time. In its first season in Serie A, Como barely avoided being relegated.
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Eni Aluko’s journey from player to club owner is a testament to her unwavering dedication to the sport. Her extensive experience as a sports director makes her a formidable force in her new role, with high expectations for her to raise the status of women’s football in Italy and on the global stage.
The acquisition by the Mercury 13 group, led by Eni Aluko, marks a significant moment in the history of Italian football. It demonstrates the ongoing progress towards promoting diversity and inclusivity within the sport.