ALANA JANCEVSKI: WOMEN IN SPORT IS NO LONGER A SECOND OPTION

March 18, 2025

“The energy and emotion that went through my body is a feeling you don’t get very often in life, and one I’ll never forget.”

Over the next few weeks, The Atlantic Dispatch and our friends at Off The Pitch Archive will bring you news and features on women involved in football on and off the field to underline the importance of supporting equality on and off the field.

This week we sat down with Melbourne Victory star, Alana Jancevski to talk vintage shirts, women in football and where her love for the game comes from.

IN CONVERSATION WITH ALANA JANCEVSKI

Melbourne is a city that thrives on sport. From the roar of the MCG on a Saturday afternoon to the energy of AAMI Park under the floodlights, there’s a pulse to the place that beats in sync with its teams.

Football, in particular, has always had a dedicated following here, and in recent years, the women’s game has been carving out its own legacy. Alana Jancevski is part of that story.

Born into a sporting family with a deep love for both football and AFL, Jancevski’s earliest memories are of watching her brother play.

“I knew in that moment that I needed to get involved,” she recalls. Now, she’s living out her childhood dream, playing for Melbourne Victory in the A-League Women.

“My love for football comes from the connection my family and I created with the game and how that relationship blossomed over time.

“We are a sporting family with a real love for football and AFL, but football has always had a special place in my heart.”

Football culture in Australia has had its ups and downs, but as participation numbers grow, Jancevski is keen to see meaningful steps towards long-term progress.

“There are moments when it feels like Australia is losing that special connection football has to the community,” she says.

“Then something like a World Cup reignites it. The question is: how do we keep that momentum going?”

Jancevski’s journey to Melbourne Victory has been more than just a career move—it’s been a full-circle moment.

As a kid, she stood in the stands at the Telstra Dome, chanting alongside the Northern Terrace and watching club legends like Archie Thompson and Carlos Hernandez.

Now, she’s the one fans come to watch. “It’s surreal,” she admits. “I’ve worked so hard to get here, and it feels like all those challenges and sacrifices have paid off.”

Beyond the game, Jancevski is deeply connected to her Macedonian heritage and sees football as an extension of her cultural identity.

“Football has always felt like second nature. It’s passionate, expressive, competitive—just like my upbringing,” she says.

Off the pitch, life in Melbourne is a mix of training, time with family, and a love for discovering new food spots.

“If you’re visiting Melbourne, you have to eat,” she insists. “It would be criminal not to. And if you can, go to an AFL match or the Australian Open—sport is in this city’s DNA.”

In this conversation, Jancevski talks about the influence of family, her dream of playing in Europe, the importance of supporting women’s football, and her passion for psychology—something she hopes to integrate into the sporting world in the future.

For now, though, she’s focused on the present: pulling on the Victory shirt, playing in front of the fans, and soaking in every moment of the game that has shaped her life.

THESE ARE SPECIAL MOMENTS IN MY JOURNEY

My first jersey had to be a Melbourne Victory one. I would go to the games at the then-called Telstra Dome at the age of four, learning all the Northern Terrace chants and seeing the likes of Archie Thompson and Carlos Hernandez light up the A-League. These are special moments in my footballing journey

My favourite jersey of all time would have to be an old Liverpool black and yellow jersey. I got this as a Christmas present when I was about nine or ten years old, only to find out a month later that Fernando Torres, the player on the back of that jersey, was leaving the club for Chelsea—a bittersweet memory

My bucket list jersey is definitely a signed Steven Gerrard or Luis Suárez jersey. I don’t mind which one, but having something so special from one of my two favourite players of all time would be crazy!

HOW DO WE TURN THESE NUMBERS INTO MEANINGFUL STEPS FOR GROWTH

Growing up, the culture of football I was brought up in really sparked my passion and ignited the now never-ending love I have for the game.

Now, being immersed in the culture as a player, I see it from a different perspective—I’m no longer just a fan cheering for my team, but the player fans watch from the sidelines.

In recent years, there have been ebbs and flows in the culture. I believe at times it dies off, and Australia loses that special connection football has to the community.

But then there are moments that reignite the love for the game—both recent World Cups, for example. I hope to see Australia really embrace these moments and use them to bring us closer to football overseas.

From a fan’s standpoint, and with Melbourne being the sporting capital of Australia, participation numbers are the highest they’ve ever been. The overarching question is: how do we turn these numbers into meaningful steps for growth?

STEPPING OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE

Moving to Melbourne Victory has been the biggest moment in my footballing journey. Being a passionate fan growing up, it was always my biggest dream to represent the club in the A-League, and living that dream is surreal.

I have worked really hard to get to where I am in my career, and it feels like all the challenges and emotional moments have paid off.

There is a real sense of pride knowing I endured living away from home at a young age and reaped the rewards of stepping out of my comfort zone.

CONTINUE EVOLVING THE GAME AND PUSHING TOWARDS EQUALITY

It is crucial to keep supporting the women’s game so the rise continues and equality becomes closer. Seeing so many women work hard in the sport—whether as team managers, physios, coaches, or players—is truly inspiring.

The different battles women have to face while still performing on the biggest stage are remarkable, and these challenges should be addressed more often to continue evolving the game and pushing towards equality.

This continual support is necessary to ensure that women in sports no longer feel like the second option.

I WILL NEVER FORGET

Representing my country at an Asian Cup is something I’ll forever cherish and one of my proudest moments. Doing so at a young age and feeling how special it inspired me to experience that feeling again—but this time at the senior level.

At club level, scoring in a Melbourne Derby late last year in front of my friends and family at AAMI Park—for my first Melbourne Victory goal—was one of the most special moments of my career.

The energy and emotion that went through my body is a feeling you don’t get very often in life, and one I’ll never forget.

My goal for the future is to take my football career to Europe and play overseas in an environment that challenges me differently while also connecting me to my European roots and playing style.

STRONGLY ALIGNED WITH MY ROOTS

Being of Macedonian heritage, football has always felt like second nature.

My strong connection to European culture shines through in the way I play football and how I conduct myself in day-to-day life—passionate, expressive, competitive, and empathetic, with a deep love for community, friendship, and family.

I always try to stay strongly aligned with my roots and celebrate them in as many ways as I can.

In the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of seeing a different side of European culture through my boyfriend’s family, who are of Italian background.

Seeing the differences between our cultures while also sharing the same core values is special. It unites us, just like football does.

SWITCH OFF FROM A FOOTBALL-FOCUSED MINDSET

Life in Melbourne is a mix of training, spending time with my family, dog, and boyfriend, and finding time to relax, recover, and work on things outside of football.

Life is very different from Perth, where I was on my own, focused 100% on myself.

That was rewarding, but also difficult, as I didn’t have my support system close to help me switch off from a football-focused mindset 24/7.

My ideal day in Melbourne would start with training in the morning, followed by testing out a new bakery.

I’d take my boyfriend and my dog so we could go for a nice walk afterwards before heading home for dinner with my family, eating outside in the beautiful summer weather.

Maybe we’d play some cards, go for a swim, and then finish the night with a movie or TV show.

IT’S GREAT TO SEE MENTAL HEALTH BEING TAKEN MORE SERIOUSLY

I have a passion for cooking and really enjoy experimenting with new dishes in my spare time. Cooking and sharing food is always special and fun, especially when I do it with my mum and grandma, who taught me so much growing up.

Hopefully, one day, I can do something more with it and pay homage to everything I’ve learned from them.

I also have a passion for psychology, which I am studying at university to become a sports psychologist. It’s great to see that mental health is being taken more seriously and recognised as an important factor in athletic performance.

In the future, I hope to contribute to the rise of sports psychologists in professional clubs, ensuring that every athlete has access to mental health support, which should be seen as just as important as field and gym sessions.

MISSING OUT ON THAT WOULD BE CRIMINAL

If you ever visit Melbourne, then I’d recommend Food. Food. And more food.

Melbourne is home to some of the best restaurants and coffee in the world—missing out on that would be criminal!

As the sporting capital of Australia, I’d also recommend catching an AFL match or going to the Australian Open.

For a taste of Melbourne’s unique culture, exploring areas like Fitzroy and, closer to my roots, the northern suburbs, is a great way to really experience what the city has to offer.