Neymar Jr's Five Tournament

Right in the heart of Shoreditch lies 13 outdoor pitches – you’d never have guessed they were there – which played host to Neymar Jr’s Five tournament on 25th March. The Brazilian superstar’s brainchild is a series of knockout five-a-side matches (in rounds) where the winning teams get to participate in the world final in Brazil this summer. This year was the first time that female teams- made up of friends, university teams, even ex-Sunday league footballers- were able to participate, a long overdue but much-needed move that attracted us that afternoon. About to Get Messi, Dreamgirls, Eagles, Phoenix, Goldsmiths Hunnies, SOAS Warriors, LMU 5 and Intergirls were the teams who played each other knockout style to progress to the national final in Birmingham. The other women's round took place in Cardiff.

For the uninitiated, five-a-side is completely different to traditional 11-a-side. Apart from the obvious smaller pitches, the main difference is that it is more technical, more fast-paced, and more full-throttle. Matches are played in 10-minute intervals and every time a team scores a goal, an opposition team member is forced to lose a player. The atmosphere flicked back and forth from excited, nervous and affable energy to cut-throat competition. LMU 5 eventually beat the Eagles and then SOAS Warriors in the quarters. Phoenix registered a win against Intergirls to also go through. They’ll face each other later this spring and before the day was done, we caught up with some of women who took part.

About to Get Messi

Chelcee, About to Get Messi

‘I grew up in [and support] Liverpool after playing and watching football on the telly. [Our team] play for Fulham Ladies and our season just ended, so we wanted another excuse to get together and play again. Neymar is a G with incredible skills. England won’t make it out of the group stages this World Cup, as per usual. I’d quite like underdogs Iceland to have a good go at it; Portugal might do well because I love Cristiano Ronaldo. Maybe Argentina, because of Messi. I reckon Ronaldo’s better than him though. Just love him. Sorry not sorry.’

Eagles

Harriet Freestyle, Eagles

‘By playing football, I’m saying no to gender roles- you can play and be a mum. I wanted to be part of this so badly and put out a call on my socials for young women to join my team and got so many responses! We met up a few days ago for some tryouts. I’m tired of and frustrated by all these boys only tournaments so this is refreshing. I support Arsenal because I played for them at youth level, and I quite like the way Man City play. I fancy Brazil for the World Cup, Neymar might win it for them and I like watching him to improve as a freestyler.’

Phoenix

DJ Monki (Lucy Monkman), Phoenix

‘I’ve played football since I was a kid and my dad really got me into it too. [My team] practiced for today with 11-a-side tactics which didn’t work. It’s so much faster and the goals are tiny! Hopefully we’ll be okay. Neymar is so sick and getting to Brazil would be unbelievable. I support Arsenal and have always loved Thierry Henry- I wasn't #WengerOut before but I am now. I feel better knowing that Alexis Sanchez is miserable at Man United though. England not making out of the group stages is my World Cup prediction. I feel like a traitor liking Harry Kane as an Arsenal fan but he’s quality.’

Intergirls A

Suaila (top right)

Suaila, Intergirls A

'I’ve been playing for so long that I can’t remember how I got into football. We play in Sunday League and miss it because it just ended, so we're trying hard to get to Brazil and playing for fun. I support Porto through my parents but I like Barcelona too and love Messi. I think Colombia are going to make it far in this World Cup and surprise people and I hope Messi finally wins his World Cup. I like Argentina and Portugal but I don’t like Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s arrogant and such a show-off; Messi is more modest, creative and the primary playmaker- I like his style of play better.'

The Dreamgirls

Cristina, The Dreamgirls

‘Football has always been huge in Spain and my whole family support Real Madrid. I started playing as a kid for as long as I can remember and [in this team] we play together and we have fun together! [Ahead of the World Cup] I don’t think Spain are very lucky anymore but Brazil have a very good chance, especially if Neymar gets fit again. I hope they win not Argentina as I don’t want Lionel Messi to get his World Cup. I’d quite fancy an underdog Croatia to have a good run but I don’t think their team is strong enough.’

 LMU5

Sarah, LMU5

‘I’m from Munich and my dad is a huge Bayern fan like me. I’ve played since I was a kid and  discovered my own cultural identity watching football. [The team’s] Sunday League season ended and we really wanted to try 5-a-side but I had no idea the rules were this crazy- 5 versus 1 is so harsh but wild. I think Germany will be good [at the World Cup] as we have quite a young team now.’

On progressing to the next round in Birmingham

‘It feels absolutely amazing to get through and I don’t think any of us were expecting it! We just worked really hard and we’re going to have to fit in more practices, and train playing futsal, to be completely ready for Birmingham.’

Hannah, Goldsmiths Hunnies (bottom middle)

'My dad and brother used to drag me to games every weekend so I got into football. I’m playing for fun today and if I had to choose one team to support, it’d be Brighton, cause of my family. Playing football makes me feel great and Neymar is quality- he’s got a really creative style of playing. My prediction for the World Cup is England aren’t going to do well.'

SOAS Warriors

Vicky, SOAS Warriors

‘I started playing when I was in primary school and Manchester United have been my team forever. I miss Zlatan already- LA Galaxy are so lucky to have him! [The team] were so sad that our season ended that we just wanted to play again immediately, anywhere, anytime! We love being together and we’re just here to have a bit of fun today. 11-a-side, 5-a-side, give us anything. England are gonna win [the World Cup]. No, just kidding. Every single year since 1966 they’ve never made it past the group stages! I think Germany are going to do alright. France too, maybe.’

Words Cady Siregar

Photography Dainyika Jackson