Game Changers Vol 1: Princess Ademiluyi

To celebrate Black History Month, GIRLACTICO, in collabortion with Kick It Out, has spoken to some of the biggest game-changers making an impact across women's football, culture and beyond - both on and off the pitch. 

We explored what Black History Month means to them in the context of their careers, their identity, and what the future holds. 

For Volume 1, we sat down with Ipswich's star striker, Princess Ademiluyi, the English Footballer of Nigerian descent, who is currently playing in the WSL2 for Ipswich Town, on loan from Gotham FC.

At 17 years old, she made her WSL debut, becoming the first player to go through West Ham's player academy and appear for the female senior team. She's also made her mark on the international stage, notably scoring an 8 minute hattrick in England's final preparation match for the U20 World Cup.

Aside from her footballing career, Princess' love of fashion propelled her own clothing brand "Vainglory Studios", encouraging people to "LET THE CLOTHES SPEAK FOR YOU".

GIRLACTICO: What does Black History Month mean to you personally and why is it important for you to celebrate it?

Princess Ademiluyi: For me Black History Month is a time to celebrate where we come from, the people who have paved the way for us, and the things that make our culture special. I think it’s important because there’s so much history that we don’t always get taught or talk about enough, so having a month where we can celebrate that and educate people is really powerful. For me, personally, it’s about being proud of my identity and knowing that the opportunities I have today have come from people who fought for them before me.

GIRLACTICO: What makes you most proud of being a black woman? How important is it for black women to celebrate their identity and feel confident in who they are?

Princess Ademiluyi: I think what makes me most proud is the strength, resilience, and individuality that comes with being a black woman. I think it’s really important for us to feel confident in who we are, especially in spaces where we might not always see people who look like us. For me, being confident in my identity is something I carry with me everywhere, and I think being able to embrace who I am rather than feeling like I have to fit into a certain idea of what I should be is really important.

GIRLACTICO: What is something you are proud of, and what is a dream or a goal that you have for the future?

Princess Ademiluyi: I'm really proud of how far I've come in football and everything I've had to overcome to get to where I am now. I'm only 20, so I'm still at the very beginning of my journey, but being able to play professionally, represent myself at a high level and continue developing is something I'm really proud of. My biggest goal is to become one of the best players in the world and to reach the very top of the game. But beyond my own career, I want to create opportunities for the people coming after me and leave a legacy that’s bigger than just football.

GIRLACTICO: What does being a role model mean to you, and how do you hope your journey might inspire others?

Princess Ademiluyi: Being a role model to me means showing people what’s possible rather than just telling them what’s possible. I want young girls, especially young black girls, to be able to look at my journey and see that they can dream big and actually achieve those dreams. I’ve had moments where things haven’t gone exactly how I wanted them to, but I think that’s part of the journey. I want people to see the work, the setbacks and the growth as well as the success, because hopefully that can show someone else that they can keep going even when things get difficult.

GIRLACTICO: Growing up, who inspired you and why, and who inspires you now?

Princess Ademiluyi: I'd probably say my family, especially my brother, inspired me the most. I used to play football with him a lot and that’s where I first started to realise that I actually had something in me. I didn’t grow up watching loads of football, so my inspiration came more from actually playing and having people around me who believed in me.

As I started getting more into football, I really liked seeing players like Mario Balotelli, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Paul Pogba. I was drawn to the way they played - their confidence, personality, and the way they expressed themselves on the pitch. Obviously, I don’t necessarily look at everything they do away from football, but purely as footballers, I loved watching clips of them because they played with a lot of character.

Now, I think I'm inspired more by people who are constantly pushing themselves to be better and creating their own path. I want to surround myself with people who have big ambitions and who make me want to raise my own standards. How that reflects in my games is, I always show up as me regardless of who I'm playing or where I'm playing. I'm always Princess99.