The North Carolina Courage, a team from the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of US women's football, has a new owner.
This is the tennis player Naomi Osaka, current No. 3 in the world and former No. 1, according to what the club announces with a note and a video on its website explaining that "Naomi is the first investor in the Courage since, in 2017 , Steve Malik acquired control of the company and moved it to North Carolina. "
Osaka, according to 'Forbes', the female athlete who earned the most in 2020, hopes "to be an example and inspire future generations" by investing her time and money in one of the best clubs soccer team of the world.
"The women who invested in me made me who I am today. I don't know where I would be without them - is the comment of Osaka on the Courage website after the acquisition of the club -. During my career I have always received so much. love from my fellow athletes and now I am proud to say that I am an owner of the NC Courage. But my entry is far from wanting to be just the owner of a team but it is an investment in beautiful girls who are models and leaders in their field and therefore a source of inspiration for all young athletes ".
"I also admire the Courage - continues Osaka - for what it does to support diversity and gender equality in our society, and for this they will have my support".
These words refer to the fact that the girls from the North Carolina team, as well as Osaka, have been at the forefront of various initiatives in the midst of the 'BlackLives Matter' campaign after George Floyd's death.
A curiosity: from 2022 Osaka could challenge, through her team, also in football Serena Williams: in fact the latter is part of a group of financiers of Angels City, a Los Angeles team that will join next year of the Nwsl.