Afrodita Salihi is one of the best and most experienced female football players in Macedonia. In her career, she has won 9 championship titles, the same number of cup titles, she was named the best female footballer and she was twice the top scorer of the season. She holds the record for titles in women’s football in Macedonia, a record that probably won’t be broken for a long time. Simply, she is the true legend of the Macedonian women’s football.

photo by FFM: Salihi at her national team farewell match in July

Afrodita has recorded more than 100 matches for the Macedonian national team, scoring more than 30 goals in young and senior category. Her debut was against Bosnia and Herzegovina U19 side on June 19, 2004, scoring 2 goals on that match which is the first ever victory for Macedonia in an official match.

Her club career is rich not only by winning trophies. She has played for numerous clubs, including: Shkjiponjat, Nashe Taksi, Edinstvo, Kochani, Dragon, Istatov, Atletico, Skopje 2014 and Shkëndija, as well as for the Bulgarian club Olympia from Sofia.

This interview was made in cooperation with our colleague Filip Zdraveski from Kajgana and it’s also available in Macedonian language on this link.

You have played for many clubs, you are one of the top capped in the national team and you have met many players and couches. Which players and coaches left the biggest impression on you?

Back in 2004, at the beginning of women’s football competitions in Macedonia, the best female players were Shiret Brahimi, Violeta Spirovska, Milka Arsova, Lemana Latifovikj, Kate Mileska, Djejlan Shakjiri, Vjolca Izeiri, Zorica Stojkovska and these are the players that left the biggest impression on me.

Of course, the best coach in women’s football was and still is, Dobre Dimovski. Educator, trainer, coach, he was an example for everyone. He taught me everything I know. Besides him, there are also younger coaches who put in a lot of effort, who love football and love their job as coaches, like Oliver Jovanovski from the WFC Kochani and Shpëtim Kukji from the WFC Shkëndija.

Macedonia hosted the 2010 Women’s U19 Euro. At that moment you were 21-years-old and could not be selected. From today’s perspective, how important was this competition for development of the women’s football in Macedonia? At the opening match against Spain, at that time UEFA announced that it was a record attendance in the history of the competition.

I didn’t have the right to play on that championship because I already have 21 at that time, but of course I was there. It was a real spectacle for the audience, there was a large crowd and it was of great importance for promoting the women’s football in Macedonia. Many of those girls who played on our stadiums (in Skopje and Kumanovo) are now leaders of the senior national teams of their countries. When you watch a football broadcast from the EURO or the World Cup or the Olympics, you’ll be reminded that many of those players also played on our stadiums. They are not members of some outsider national teams in women’s football, but on the contrary, they’re playing in top national teams such as England, Spain, Italy, France, Scotland, the Netherlands and Germany. Unfortunately, despite the desire, we don’t have the strength to be even close to them, because in our country we need to change the perceptions of women’s football, which is equally valued in the world as men’s football. The situation in our cities is that men’s clubs, which had a long and rich tradition, are being maintained with extreme efforts, and for women’s football, unfortunately, there is no money, there are not enough conditions. Maybe one day things will change in a positive way in our country as well, regarding women’s football.

What is the happiest memory you have from the women’s national team?

I have many happy moments with the national team, but I’ll single out the EURO qualifying match against Netherland, played in Zwolle in 2009. Regardless of the result, it was such a wonderful feeling, beautiful pitch, there was a lot of audience, more than 7,000 thousand fans. Then, for the first time I played in front of such a numerous audience. We lost 13:1, I scored the goal for our team. I remember, the 74^th minute was under way, I was injured and soon as I get into the game I scored. We were so happy, especially me. That was my happiest memory.

The Macedonian national team often loses with big margins. How hard is to motivate the players for the next match after such a defeat?

After a difficult match, we are simply aware of the quality of those national teams. They work at a professional level, unlike us who play in an amateur league. It is hard, but every next match is a great motivation to prove ourselves and there is the desire to represent our country, which is greater than anything else.

Now, after retiring from the national team you are playing for Kochani in the second league. Why did you choose a second division side?

Considering that I have finished my career in the national team, competing in the second league is more like recreational for me. I specifically choose Kochani because I have the most beautiful memories from there, when we won the double title back in 2014. Also, it’s a challenge to bring Kochani where it belongs, in the first league and without a defeat.

You’re absolute top goal scorer in the second league and your team almost always scores 10 or more goals. Seems like most of the teams are on a much lower level. How challenging is to play in a league where you’re easily dominating?

Considering that the first league is not great, and there are many conditions missing, honestly, the second league is even weaker. There are players who are still unexperienced and the clubs are not working well. The younger girls needv to work harder, dedicate themselves and they must have more desire if they want to succeed. I’m not used to it, sometimes it gets nerve-wracking because it’s very easy to score goals, there’s no fight, no passion. We know the result right away. Sometimes it seems like we’re messing around with them, but we’re there to reach the goal and we have to finish our job.

Considering the results from the half-season, we feel free to say that Kocani will definitely win the title and will be promoted in the first league. Will you stay there next season??

I don’t plan to continue next season, I’m ending my career at club level there.

Most of the teams that you face in the second league are compiled of teenage players. Do you have some advice that you would like to give them on how to develop and have a career like yours?

I advise girls who want to succeed in football not to give up, to train if it fulfills them and if they want to succeed, they must believe in themselves. They will only succeed if they love what they do and if it fulfills them.

Do you have an ambition to become a coach after retiring? Or some other way to stay in football?

I work as a caregiver at the kindergarten ‘Rosica’. But I also plan to apply for a license to coach young children. Well, we will see what will happen.

What do you prefer to watch more, men’s or women’s football matches?

I only watch football when Barcelona is playing, both men’s and women’s football teams.

In the summer of 2025, the Women’s EURO will be played in Switzerland. Which national teams do you think have the best chance to lift the trophy?

I think that Spain will win this EURO. According to me, they play the most attractive and smart football. But, there is also the French national team.

The number of women experiencing discrimination in the football industry is continuing to rise, according to newest data. Have you ever faced discrimination from sports journalists when they have covered events in women’s football? Are you satisfied with the coverage of women’s football in the Macedonian media?

I haven’t faced discrimination in women’s football so far, and I hope I will not in the future. I am satisfied with the coverage of women’s football. In recent periods, they have been a little more active, but we need to do even more. We need to increase and make women’s football more widespread and to have attention from all media.

What would you like to wish our readers for the New Year? 

First of all, I wish health to your readers, to watch football, to love women’s football, to come and support us. I wish them a Happy New Year and happy holidays. Thank you to MacedonianFootball and Kajgana.