10 minute read
MOLLY CLARK
‘‘I just try to be the best version of me’’
Molly Clark
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As she herself admits, the days after being named Women’s Best Player in the World in the last Beach Soccer Stars “have been a rollercoaster… but a good one”. But one thing is clear for Molly Clark: This brand new title will not change her and the way she lives her live. She will carry on living by the same rules and work etics that have led her to the top of the beach soccer world.
Hello Molly! Thanks for being here with us. Please allow us to just start off with a huge congratulations and a round of applause for the best beach soccer player in the world. Has it sunk in yet?
No actually. A lot of people keep saying it but I haven’t had time to process it I’ve been far too busy. The minute I landed I’ve been straight back into playing and training etc. There are times now and then where I get a few seconds to try and remember what has actually happened and it’s unbelievable. But no, I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet.
And where is the trophy right now? Is it on the mantlepiece, in your bedroom, at you mum’s house?
Funny you should say that because my mum and dad asked me for it the minute I landed. Normally I do let them have my trophies and medals but I’m not ready to give this one up just yet.
in the moment they announced your name?
I had to pinch myself as I didn’t quite believe that I actually heard my name. Like I said in my speech when I received the award, there were 30 girls to choose form and many more. I was happy to be in the top three but to walk away with it was just amazing. It wasn’t something I set out to achieve but now that I’ve got it it’s unbelievable.
Out of the three nominees in Dubai – honestly - who did you think was going to win?
Honestly, I thought it was going to be Adri just because it’s the third year she’d been nominated I just thought it had to be her time and she was going to walk away with it.
In terms of your performance over the 2021 season, which part, which event was the turning point that made people vote for you?
Throughout the season I had mixed tournaments in terms of my performances. I think I covered every position and every quality that you would expect in a player, whether that be attacking, defending, scoring goals. I think I ticked all of those boxes at least once in every tournament but I think my best tournament
Why? What made the difference in that event, in your opinion?
I was relaxed, enjoying every game and just enjoyed playing in the team that I was in, which lead me to score many good goals and good team goals, but the most important tournaments were with England where I put my body on the line going forward and defending. So that also might be one of the reasons that the captains and coaches voted for me, because not only can I score goals but I stop them from going in.
What’s the reaction been like from back home? Family, friends and the media etc.?
Like I said I haven’t had time to think about the award. But my friends and my family were happy, there were tears of joy. I’ve been doing interviews, messages from people I’ve never heard of. Yea it’s been a rollercoaster, but a good one.
You’re the second English player to win this award, after of course your teammate Sarah Kempson in 2017, making England the only nation to have two winners of the award. What could this mean for the sport of beach soccer in England?
It’s something that we continue to work towards and fight for, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before people start turning their heads and thinking, “wow, this nation is really good at something.” We get a lot of support from our family and friends but not necessarily from people who we would like the support from, let’s say. But I’m sure we’ll get there. We’re going to keep pushing, keep fighting and get the recognition and keep turning more heads. Like I said we’re starting to build more teams in the area. There was one and now I think there are five, so we’re getting different tournaments going. There are only one or two right now but it’s a stepping stone.
What about grassroots? Like the young girls that want to play? I know you’re a coach
at Bournemouth FC, are they interested in beach soccer? I saw you signing autographs the other day!
The girls at Bournemouth love it. They love the idea, they love beach soccer, they know it’s great fun, but little do they know how much it can improve their football. We do try and get some fun sessions on the sand for the girls during preseason especially, so that would be something the club may look into maybe in the future and there have definitely been talks about it and the support I get from them is fantastic. I can’t thank them enough for the support they give me in something I love to do as a player.
England just fell short in the European championship final last year. Can they go that one step further in 2022?
Yes 100%. Looking back now, with a cooler head, we have a lot of work to focus on – both on and off the pitch – and we’re looking to start that in the next couple of weeks. We just want to get out to tournaments. The support we get is great but we have to do everything ourselves, so we have to start early to give us the best chance of reaching as many tournaments as we can. We need to focus on being the best team that we can be, which comes with a lot of sacrifices, and hard work.
On a personal level, you’ve hit the top of the sport. Where do you go from here? Do you win it again?!
Well it was never my target in the first place but the fact I’ve walked away with it is amazing and I have to keep pinching myself. But I’ll just continue doing what I do every day to continue being the best version of myself. I train hard, I eat well, I get the right sleep… I just try and be the best me. I don’t compare myself to anybody else because everyone is different. I can’t be like Adri [Adriele], I can’t be like [Andrea Miron], I can’t be like Sarah Kempson. I can just be the best me and hopefully that’s good enough.
Thanks, Molly. It was great talking to you.
Russia return to the top in Dubai
The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup champions dominated in Dubai to claim a record fourth Intercontinental Cup
Russia return to the top in Dubai
The 2021 beach soccer season was all about Russia, and when the world champions landed in Dubai, their eyes were on the next big prize…
Early November saw the milestone tenth edition of the Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup of the event held in the UAE.
As of the ninth edition, held back in 2019 after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the 2020 edition to be cancelled, there were three teams tied at the top of the Intercontinental trophy table: Iran, Russia and Brazil, and two of those sides had a golden opportunity to clinch a record fourth.
Eight of the world’s top beach soccer teams landed in Dubai in November, and all except the champions of the last edition, Iran, had been at the World Cup months before. In fact, Group B rivals Russia, Japan and Paraguay were coincidentally drawn in the same group at the world championships, along with Iran. In Group A were the hosts UAE, European champions Portugal, African champions Senegal and another European powerhouse, Spain.
The very first day saw the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup final replayed, when Russia met Japan and won their first points of the campaign in Dubai. UAE, Senegal and Iran also claimed points on the first day. Second wins for Russia and Iran – who shared six Intercontinental Cup titles before 2021 – saw them seal semi-final places
with a match still to play, as they handed second defeats to Japan and Paraguay.
It took until Day 3 to decide which teams from a very open Group A would join them. Senegal and Portugal made the cut after the 2019 world champions defeated Spain in an Iberian derby, while Senegal were taken all the way to the penalty spot by the hosts UAE but came away with the point. ven goals to three to reach their seventh final in 10 editions.
With 4 titles, Russia become the most decorated team in Dubai
A tighter match saw the reigning champions Iran overpower the Lions of Teranga, who were making their debut appearance in Dubai, by seven goals to five. sus Russia - the third time the two nations had faced off in the Intercontinental final.
An historic final
The sides had already met in their Group B game just days before, where the Russians edged the game by four goals to three.
These two nations had also met twice before in Intercontinental finals, where Iran came out on top on both occasions.
the MVP and Top Scorer awards at the 2021 Mundialto de Clubes with BSC Lokomotiv just a week previously, spun from an impossible position to sneak in the first goal of the final.
His strike was all that separated the sides at the break, but he was back in the second period to head in number two, and then he completed a hattrick with an impressive bicycle kick. Mokthari gave the Iranian crowd something to scream about, as they pulled an important goal back.
Senegal achieved a laudable third place finish in their first participation
The number nine then scored an incredible overhead with just 20 seconds left on the clock but a frantic last-minute scramble for an equaliser
was successfully defended by Russia, who held on for a record-breaking fourth Intercontinental Cup title.
They have now lifted a record four out of the ten Intercontinental Cup, making them the most successful nation in the competition.
Brilliant bronze debutants
In the battle for third, Senegal marked their debut Intercontinental Cup with an impressive performance against the Eu-
ropean champions Portugal to seal bronze.
Since their amazing World Cup campaign, where they finished fourth after losing the third-place playoff to Switzerland, Senegal have demonstrated that their place among the beach soccer elite is well-cemented, and their achievement in Dubai saw them move up three places in the official ranking into fifth place. by a slim margin to claim fifth place as they did in the previous edition and Paraguay beat UAE to seventh place, handing the hosts their lowest ever finish.
Russia‘s Boris Nikonorov was awarded the MVP award after seizing control of the final, while Spanish striker Chiky, scoring nine goals, claimed the Top Scorer trophy. The Best Goalkeeper was awarded to Hamid from Iran. after a year off in the 2020 season, returned in all its glory for a record-breaking event which celebrated its milestone tenth edition. Preparations are already being made for the 2022 edition, will we see a new champion crowned on Emirati sands?
Although the participating teams for 2022 cannot be known at this stage, what is certain is that we will have the strongest lineup and the most competitive beach soccer again on the sands of Dubai.
