To mark the ‘Free to be Me’ theme for South Asian Heritage Month, Sky Sports News sat down with Women's Super League footballer Asmita Ale who made history when she became the first of Nepalese origin to sign with an English club
Thursday 12 September 2024 12:48, UK
Asmita Ale made history when, aged 18, she became the first Nepalese footballer to sign a professional contract in English football.
The daughter of a former Gurkha soldier, Ale joined the Aston Villa academy at the age of eight and was rewarded with a contract in 2019.
The 22-year-old defender went on to become an important part of the Villa side that gained promotion to the Women's Super League in 2020.
Ale, now at Leicester after a stint at Tottenham, remains the only Nepalese-heritage player in the WSL and was the only footballer from Britain's South Asian community - male or female - to play top-division football in England last season.
Internationally, Ale has represented England at various youth levels and was most recently involved with England for the inaugural U23 European League.
"I loved playing for England. It's always been a dream of mine - every little girl would probably dream about playing for their country" she told Sky Sports News. "There's just something different about playing for your country than just your club. You get the motivation somehow and it's just great."
Incredibly, when a 16-year-old Ale made her debut for England at the U17 Euros as a second-half sub against Italy in 2018, she did so having completed her French GCSE exam in the morning.
She said: "I did a few of my exams out in Lithuania and my French reading or writing exam was on the same day we played Italy.
"I ended up having to do that whilst everyone went to the game. I quickly finished the exam and took a separate taxi with a staff member and ended up coming on in the second half. It was crazy!"
Ale believes her family to be her "biggest fan" and attributes her sporty genetics to her father.
Gurkhas are soldiers from Nepal who have been recruited by the British Army for the last 200 years. They are renowned for their bravery, loyalty and fearlessness in combat.
Amrit Ale served about 19 years in the Army and, during his posting in Nepal, an opportunity arose to be selected for their National Squash team for the South Asian Games.
Although selected and having taken part in training, the Games were cancelled due to the 9/11 terror attacks.
She said: "My dad grew up in a village in Nepal and was in the Army. He's really proud."
Amrit played in the British Forces Hong Kong tournament, an Army tournament in the UK and the Nepal National tournament.
Having extended his time in Nepal due to the Games, Ale's father was due to return to a UK regiment and he brought his family over in advance as his wife's close delivery date would deem it unsafe for her travel.
Thus, Asmita was the first of her family to be born in England and believes she is very lucky to have her family by her side throughout her career.
"Ever since I was younger, they drove me all around England while I played for the Villa academy - Cambridge, London, Manchester," she said.
"When I played for England, they'd even fly out to different countries to watch me. It's been so important how supportive they've been."
Traditionally, previous generations of South Asians have not been as open to the idea of football as a career, however Ale is fortunate enough to be part of a generation whose parents find sport to be a realistic pathway.
"I know some Asian parents wouldn't be like that because their heads are more educational, which my parents are too, but they really supported me."
Her parents always told her to be proud of where she came from and to remember her culture and heritage.
"I love Nepalese food and my mum is a really good cook as well. We have so many celebrations too.
"When I was younger, I used to go to Nepal every single year with my family because most of them live in Nepal, " she says smiling.
"The British Nepalese community is a pretty big thing. There's a lot of Nepalese people, I think, living here, because my parents always seem to go to many weddings and parties, and they love it."
Football is a huge part of Ale's life, helping her grow and giving her confidence.
She adds: "When I was little, I used to be very quiet. The manager would constantly say to me that I need to speak, that I need to ask for the ball and shout for it.
"I think football has really helped me grow with the different situations and scenarios it puts you in. People who knew me in school would say I'm so confident now."
South Asian Heritage Month runs from July 18 to August 17 this year. Sky Sports News 'Free to be Me' series embraces individual narratives and diverse experiences of those of South Asian heritage.
For more stories, features and videos, visit our ground-breaking South Asians in Football page on skysports.com and stay tuned to Sky Sports News and our Sky Sports digital platforms.
