The big interview with Veatriki Sarri

Talk to Greek international forward Veatriki Sarri and you understand that she is living the dream since her summer signing for Brighton & Hove Albion.

Raised in Crete with big ambitions and genuine talent, Sarri left Greece with the goal of playing football for living. She moved to England with AFC Fylde and then Sheffield United, doing enough to sign her first professional contract with Birmingham City.

A goal against Arsenal put Veatriki Sarri under the spotlight and this summer, she earned a transfer to Brighton and signed a contract until 2024.

After her move to the Seagulls, England365 from Greece editor and WeAreBrighton.com contributor Dimitris Manakos spoke to Veatriki Sarri about her career, her hopes for the future, the interest in women’s football and the money Brighton have spent on their women’s team.

Hi Veatriki. At what age did you start playing football? How easy was it in a more closed-society like the city of Chania, where it is not so common for a girl to play football? What was your stimulus for playing?

I started football in an academy when I was seven years old. But even before I went to the football academy, I remember playing with the kids at school and also with my brother.

Yes, it was not common at all for girls to play. But I could compete with the boys which helped me a lot in being accepted as a member of the team.

There was no stimulus. For example, neither of my parents had played football. For my parents, the most important thing was for me and my brother to be involved in sports, whatever the sport was.

How did you find your place on the field? Did you have a role model, either male or female, that you looked up to and wanted to be like?

I’ve always wanted to score goals and create play since I started, so I’ve usually been a left midfielder or number 10.

My idol was Lionel Messi and from women’s football, Kelly Smith. They are two left footers like me and I’ve always liked their style of play.”

How did you make the decision to leave Greece and go to England, joining AFC Fylde?

It had always been my dream to play professionally. I knew that this would not be possible in Greece. England is where the biggest teams are, so I wanted to move there.

I was unlucky with an injury I had at Fylde, but I was able to come back with a lot of hard work.

And then Sheffield United emerges. How did you feel about the transfer to the Blades and how much do you think it helped you get a move onto Birmingham?

It was quite a step from Fylde to Sheffield United, who were in the women’s second division. I had a good run whilst I played in Sheffield, with a lot of appearances and good performance.

That helped me get the transfer to Birmingham, who were in the top division.

When did Birmingham’s interest and the chance to turn professional emerge? What were your standout moments there?

Birmingham showed interest from the summer of 2020. Finally, the transfer took place in January 2021. When I signed my first professional contract, it was a dream for me.

The best moment was when I had a very important goal against Arsenal which sealed the win against them.

And we arrive in Brighton. A team that is doing extremely well in the Premier League, both in the men’s and women’s sections. What are your first impressions and what are the differences compared to the other clubs you have been to?

Brighton in recent years has been an up-and-coming team in both men’s and women’s football. From what I have seen so far, they are a model team in all areas and it is no coincidence that they are doing very well.

The biggest difference I have come across is the women’s team facilities. It is a new investment made last year which cost £8 million to build.

Our training building is at the main training ground but only for the women’s team. There are facilities better than some men’s teams in the English Championship have.

We’re talking a brand new gym, locker room, pool, game analysis room. Anything you can imagine which the best men’s teams have, Brighton have built for their women’s team.

What is the atmosphere like in the team as the Women’s Super League gets underway? Brighton had an excellent friendly win over Bayern Munich which went viral on social media. Has the men’s good start to the season had an effect on the women psychologically?

The atmosphere in the team is excellent. We have a lot of new players who have been transferred in, which makes everyone very excited for the season ahead.

As for the second part, I would say not particularly. It is good that the men are doing well, but it doesn’t affect me personally.

What do you think of Brighton fans? And more generally, of the English public support of women’s football?

English fans really support women’s football more than I’ve seen. It will show in our Brighton games. There were big crowds at the Amex when England played there.

So far, the team has sold 1,500 season tickets. We’re expecting a lot more people to watch women’s football this year.”

What are your personal goals with Brighton and the Greek National team?

My personal goals with Brighton are to have a full season with good performances and lots of goals. With the national team, we are clearly chasing the dream of qualifying for the World Cup.

One last thing. What would you like to say to girls who want to play football?

I would tell them if they like football, don’t hesitate to follow their dream. To have self-confidence. With hard work and perseverance, they can achieve their goals.

Dimitris Manakos @dimitris_manakos / England365.gr