Black Queen midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe says that people do not understand her constant outburst at the Ghana Football Association for their poor treatment of women national team footballers.

She says that many people often see her and question why she will take the leadership to the cleaners for a team she has played before.

But adds that they need to do a lot more to change the fortunes of women football as females who play football also deserve a life like their male counterparts as most female footballers in Ghana play for free and most of them do not even have contracts among several other problems.

“People don’t really understand my issues with the GFA. People are usually like, ‘You’ve played in the national team before so you don’t have to speak ill,’” she says. “I’ll say things are gradually changing, but there’s still more to be done. We’re in 2022 and we all see what is happening in every other country.

“It’s not just about soccer – these players need to have a future and have a life. I feel like female footballers don’t get celebrated enough. Some players have quit, just like I quit playing for the national team, because there’s nothing there and I don’t see their future.

“We need to be respected. No country will take a team to a tournament to play for free. You can’t do that to the Black Stars without giving them compensation or per diem. The players won’t show up, so why do that to the women’s teams?”

Born in Ghana’s port city of Takoradi, she idolised her elder sister Elizabeth, and they later played together at Sekondi-Takoradi club Hasaacas Ladies, where they won three league titles.