Eniola Aluko joins Common Goal

The Juventus forward becomes the 135th player or manager to take the pledge

Juventus forward Eniola Aluko says it’s time the football world united behind a shared vision after she was announced as the latest member of the Common Goal movement at Web Summit in Lisbon.

Aluko, who has won more than 100 caps for England, was welcomed to the Common Goal family by Manchester United legend and Common Goal mentor Eric Cantona as well as CEO Juergen Griesbeck.

The Juventus star is the 135th footballer or manager to pledge 1% of their earnings to a collective fund that invests in high-impact football for good initiatives.

She was greeted on stage at the largest tech conference in the world where she stressed the importance of team play in driving social change.

“In football we can’t achieve anything alone, and the same goes for social change — it’s a team game,” she said.

“Only together can we change the world. Now is the time for us all to unite behind a shared vision for football and show how together we can shape the future of the world.

“I love the idea of collective philanthropy, so Common Goal makes sense. You are a massive team doing good for the world.

“Also I am very passionate about clean water, and female empowerment and gender equality. So the fact that Common Goal works with many organisations tackling these issues, made me want to be a part of the movement all the more.”

A few days before the announcement at Web Summit, Aluko met with the captain of Juventus men’s team Giorgio Chiellini, in Turin. Both players won Serie A with their respective Juventus teams last season.

Chiellini was one of the first players to join Common Goal, two years ago, shortly after the movement was launched.

Aluko, 32, who has a first-class honours degree in law from Brunel University, and is also a regular television presenter, columnist, and an advocate for equality, stressed the importance of players seizing the opportunity they have to make a difference.

“I always felt I needed to use my voice. I’ve been personally affected by racism but, like many other athletes, I want to be able to use my voice to solve this problem in football, and society, because with Common Goal if we address something in football it will have a knock-on effect on society.”

Common Goal CEO Juergen Griesbeck said: “Eniola is one of the most powerful voices in football and is showing how football can be a positive force to tackle many of the challenges we face as humanity, such as racism, division and inequality.

“Like so many other players Eniola already has many social causes and philanthropic initiatives she supports, and yet she understands that these are perfectly compatible with, and in fact benefit from, a shared commitment to Common Goal.

“Like football, social impact is a team game and we are inspired to have another powerful female leader join the most diverse team in football.”