Meet Charlene Chia: SA United latest acquisition. In our exclusive interview, we explore Charlene's journey from an introverted young girl with a love for the game to a standout player donning the SA United jersey. Discover her family's unwavering support, her pre-game routines, and the qualities that set her apart on and off the field. Join us as we uncover the inspiring story of Charlene Chia, a quiet force making big strides in the women's game.
For a start, tell us about your football journey. How did you first fall in love with the beautiful game, and what drove you to pursue it at such a competitive level?
I was introduced to football when I was about 10 years old. Back then, my uncle would always read the sports section of the newspaper first and casually comment on the various performances of the football team featured in the day's news. As I spoke with him, I became more interested in the game and began reading the newspaper for sports material. Meanwhile, I was playing futsal with friends every evening in my taman. However, I only began serious training at the age of 15 because I wanted to learn how to play football properly. As a late bloomer, the idea of playing competitively never occurred to me. At the time, all I knew was, "I wanted to play football." As a result, I attended training dutifully and attempted to brush up on my basics on my own. From there, I gradually became acquainted with Malaysia's women's football scene and was fortunate to be linked with the appropriate people who were willing to invest in me.
Football often becomes a family affair. Can you share how your family has supported and influenced your football journey?
I am fortunate to have a father who was once a sportsman. As a result, he never fails to send me to training, regardless of the time, and is always present in every game that I play. Although there have been moments when I felt like slacking off, my dad would remind me of the value of dedication, self-control, and accountability as a sportsperson. He made certain that I attended training whenever feasible, and that consistency was critical in assisting my progression throughout the years.
As you don the SA United jersey and step onto the pitch, what significance does representing your club hold for you, and what personal goals do you hope to achieve, both on the field and off, in the upcoming season?
Being able to play for SA United is truly a blessing. The club ensures that we are well taken care of and the players are all super amiable and supportive towards each other. Thus, representing SA United means a lot as it shows the club’s trust and faith in me to help the team progress through the competitions that we are in. In football, I hope to continue building on my strengths and weaknesses to be a better player than I was yesterday. On a side note, I will be furthering my studies overseas in a few months and I hope to be consistent, diligent, and embrace whatever challenges that I may face during my course of study. Additionally, it would be a bonus if I get to participate in football during my time in college!
As a footballer, what's your pre-game ritual or routine that gets you in the zone before a match?
To be honest, I don’t have a specific routine that I do before a game because I am usually too nervous to even do anything before the game starts! Normally, I try to calm my nerves down by doing lots of self-talk in my mind to help me focus on the match.
Let's talk style on the pitch. How would you describe your playing style, and are there any players - past or present - that you draw inspiration from?
My playing style is nothing fancy. I prefer to do short passes and keep things simple, drawing inspiration from Barcelona’s famous tiki-taka play as they make the game seem so effortless yet effective. As Johan Cryuff beautifully put it, “Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.”
Away from the pitch, who is Charlene? What are your passions and interests outside of football that drive and motivate you?
I’m considerably an introvert and do better with smaller groups and close friends. Thus, many events or activities concerning a large group of unfamiliar faces will usually make me tense. That’s why I’m thankful for my family who continually try to get me to join as many activities as possible to enrich my social network. Because without their constant pushing, I may have missed out on opportunities to meet amazing people over the years. With that being said, I do spend lots of time playing the guitar. I would say that the guitar is my safe space where I get to unwind and spend time alone. I usually search for songs to play on Youtube as I try to add to my repertoire. Finally, I also enjoy participating in other sports. As long as it’s a sport, I am willing to try it out!
Let's switch gears and talk music. What's on your playlist at the moment and is there a particular song that gets you hyped up before a game?
My music genre used to be quite wide but nowadays I mainly listen to Mandarin songs. Even when I do listen to English songs, they tend to be more sentimental because I don’t do too well with hype songs. Unfortunately, I don’t rely on music to get myself hyped up before a game!
As a female footballer, you face unique challenges and barriers in a predominantly male-dominated sport. How do you overcome these obstacles and pave the way for future generations of female athletes?
I remember back in my old academy, I was the only girl training amongst a group of boys. My teammates found it odd that a girl could play football and I was given the impression of whether I could keep up with the boys. That’s when I determined to let my performance on the pitch and during training do the talking. Thus, I just kept working on my basics with the goal of one day being able to match up with my guy teammates. I hope that my example is a testament that will inspire other young girls to believe in themselves and not let circumstances limit them from rising to their true potential. When there’s a will, there’s a way. The only thing that is stopping you from achieving your goals is yourself.
Reflecting on the current state of women's football in Malaysia, what changes or advancements would you personally like to see to propel the growth and recognition of the women's game in the country?
Firstly, I am encouraged that more girls are participating in football than before. However, to accommodate this rise in numbers, I believe that grassroots development could be more structured. With proper programs and infrastructures in place, I believe that it will motivate the girls to continue excelling in this sport. For women’s football to gain more recognition in Malaysia, we also need to shift away from the mindset that women’s football is second fiddle to men’s football. As the women's football scene tries to expand, it is crucial to ensure that committed individuals are willing to train and equip these girls with the right foundation to excel in this sport.
Finally, if you could play alongside any footballer, past or present, who would it be and why? What qualities do they possess that you admire and would complement your style of play?
It would be Sergio Busquets. His reading of the game and intelligence never fails to impress me. Meanwhile, his calmness and brilliance with the ball is something that I want to build upon too. Busquets keeps things simple yet productive and that is what I really admire about him.