Borussia's Marjana Naceva: 'I've found myself here'

07.07.24

Story

Borussia's Marjana Naceva: "I've found myself here"

She has recently played against BSV Heeren 09/24, TV Brechten and SV Fortuna Freudenberg II - and against Latvia and Slovenia. Marjana Naceva is an international player in the Landesliga. A young woman from North Macedonia in Germany. Her story is a special - and particularly beautiful - one. \"My passion for football was reawakened in Dortmund,\" she says.

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She has recently played against BSV Heeren 09/24, TV Brechten and SV Fortuna Freudenberg II - and against Latvia and Slovenia. Marjana Naceva is an international player in the Landesliga. A young woman from North Macedonia in Germany. Her story is a special - and particularly beautiful - one. "My passion for football was reawakened in Dortmund," she says.

She originally came to Dortmund for work. \"I was disappointed by the opportunities that my country offers us young people,\" says the young woman from North Macedonia, and explains: \"There aren't many of us, only two million. And we're not in the EU, pay and social services are not up to European standards.\" But Marjana Naceva doesn't want to limit herself, doesn't want to impose boundaries on herself, doesn't want to settle. She wants to live. She gets stuck in, she makes things happen. She even started to change her own car tyres from a young age, as evidenced by photos on Instagram. \"I realised that it was better to go somewhere else.\" Her first visa was for work.

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When she first came to Dortmund in October 2021, she didn't initially have football on her mind, let alone BVB. She hadn't played on the pitch for over a year at that point due to serious knee injuries. Which was a shame considering her talent. In her home country, she won eight national championships and qualified for the Champions League seven times. She first played for her country at the age of 16, making her debut against Norway and later also competing against France and Italy. Memories from times she thought were gone. \"I had actually stopped,\" says Marjana, pauses briefly, starts to smile and then says a phrase that may as well be carved in stone: \"But my passion for football was reawakened in Dortmund.\"

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It was one visit to the stadium that changed her life to a certain extent, inspiring and motivating her to start playing football again. \"The first time I went to Dortmund, I didn't know much about BVB. But after I went to the stadium for the first time, I was completely in love with the club. It was a fantastic experience to see the passion and dedication with which people supported their team. That made a deep impression on me.\"

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Marjana Naceva, who had previously favoured other major clubs in Europe, was hooked. Suddenly her own feet were itching again. Nevertheless, despite her skills and experience, she didn't really see a real chance of getting a place in one of Borussia Dortmund's women's teams. From what she had heard from others, she was simply too old at the age of 28. \"I have no chance, they said. I don't fit the profile, they said. And I believed that. Because when I arrived in Dortmund, I was alone, on my own and dependent on the opinions of others.\" But then Marjana simply went to watch a BVB women's match - \"and I saw some players who were older than I had previously heard from outsiders. At that moment, I thought: Oh my God, I can do that too.\"

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In the end, a friend's brother arranged for her to take part in a trial training session. \"I don't know exactly how he managed that. And I didn't know which team the trial training session was for. That wasn't important either.\" Suddenly she was on a list and shortly afterwards in the squad, despite the fierce competition. \"Without training, without anything.\" - Marjana Naceva was part of the newly formed second team in the summer of 2022. \"The team and league didn't matter at all, the main thing was that I was in it, back in it, back on the ball.\" The international played her first season for Borussia Dortmund in the Kreisliga - and did not go unnoticed by Thomas Sulewski for long.

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\"Due to her very good performances in the second team, it was only logical to bring Manu up to the first team after her first season at BVB,\" says the head coach, adding: \"After a somewhat bumpy start at the beginning of the season, she has now found her place in the team. Manu works tirelessly for the team. Her ambition is enormous.\" Hard work and honest football always go hand in hand at Borussia Dortmund.

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\"Marjana lives for football. We're very proud that she continues to play for the national team, even though she's only played in the fifth division so far,\" says department head Svenja Schlenker, adding: \"Her fighting spirit is very good for the team. She never gives up. Experienced players, especially when they play internationally, are an important building block for a team. They can help, especially when things aren't going so well. They are the ones who take responsibility and lead the team.\"

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Marjana Naceva herself sees her role in the team today as follows: \"Through the international matches, I've been involved in some tough duels against big footballing nations. You learn a lot, especially how to keep calm. I bring this experience to the table and pass it on. I want to help achieve our shared goals. We all want the same thing. We are a good team, a family.\"

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The young woman from North Macedonia has also learnt quickly in Dortmund. She recognises the importance of football in the region and the goals of the club. \"I still can't comprehend, let alone describe, what happened, how everything in my life changed for the better. That one experience in the stadium turned my life upside down.\" Passion and motivation have returned - now she dreams of the Bundesliga and her first game in the big stadium.

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As she thinks about it, she says things like this: \"The vision they are pursuing here for women's football is great. I like the idea of building something from the ground up and then taking it to the top.\" And: \"The story that they are writing, that we are writing, is thrilling. I'm excited about it.\" And: \"The goal of the club and the team is also my goal.\" And last but not least: \"We want to reach the level of a professional team.\" In Dortmund, with BVB.

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At the same time, the 30-year-old is playing for North Macedonia again, most recently against Latvia and Slovenia in April. \"I can't describe what it means to me to play for my home country. It's an emotional thing.\" Launched in 2005 with players from just five clubs, they have - much like Borussia Dortmund - not only gradually built up a senior team, but also a corresponding support structure. \"Playing for the national team, hearing the anthem beforehand, you can't put it into words. Representing your country is the greatest possible experience, a great feeling, something that touches my heart.\"

\n

She works for moments like these. All day long. Every day. For her life in Germany and for her career at BVB. At work and in training. \"It's hard, but I'm motivated.\" Marjana Naceva lives alone and is focused. She loves the city and the people who live here. Does she want to stay in Dortmund after her career as a footballer? \"For sure! I've found myself here.\"

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Author: Nils Hotze
\n Photos: Alexandre Simoes

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She originally came to Dortmund for work. "I was disappointed by the opportunities that my country offers us young people," says the young woman from North Macedonia, and explains: "There aren't many of us, only two million. And we're not in the EU, pay and social services are not up to European standards." But Marjana Naceva doesn't want to limit herself, doesn't want to impose boundaries on herself, doesn't want to settle. She wants to live. She gets stuck in, she makes things happen. She even started to change her own car tyres from a young age, as evidenced by photos on Instagram. "I realised that it was better to go somewhere else." Her first visa was for work.

When she first came to Dortmund in October 2021, she didn't initially have football on her mind, let alone BVB. She hadn't played on the pitch for over a year at that point due to serious knee injuries. Which was a shame considering her talent. In her home country, she won eight national championships and qualified for the Champions League seven times. She first played for her country at the age of 16, making her debut against Norway and later also competing against France and Italy. Memories from times she thought were gone. "I had actually stopped," says Marjana, pauses briefly, starts to smile and then says a phrase that may as well be carved in stone: "But my passion for football was reawakened in Dortmund."

It was one visit to the stadium that changed her life to a certain extent, inspiring and motivating her to start playing football again. "The first time I went to Dortmund, I didn't know much about BVB. But after I went to the stadium for the first time, I was completely in love with the club. It was a fantastic experience to see the passion and dedication with which people supported their team. That made a deep impression on me."

Marjana Naceva, who had previously favoured other major clubs in Europe, was hooked. Suddenly her own feet were itching again. Nevertheless, despite her skills and experience, she didn't really see a real chance of getting a place in one of Borussia Dortmund's women's teams. From what she had heard from others, she was simply too old at the age of 28. "I have no chance, they said. I don't fit the profile, they said. And I believed that. Because when I arrived in Dortmund, I was alone, on my own and dependent on the opinions of others." But then Marjana simply went to watch a BVB women's match - "and I saw some players who were older than I had previously heard from outsiders. At that moment, I thought: Oh my God, I can do that too."

In the end, a friend's brother arranged for her to take part in a trial training session. "I don't know exactly how he managed that. And I didn't know which team the trial training session was for. That wasn't important either." Suddenly she was on a list and shortly afterwards in the squad, despite the fierce competition. "Without training, without anything." - Marjana Naceva was part of the newly formed second team in the summer of 2022. "The team and league didn't matter at all, the main thing was that I was in it, back in it, back on the ball." The international played her first season for Borussia Dortmund in the Kreisliga - and did not go unnoticed by Thomas Sulewski for long.

"Due to her very good performances in the second team, it was only logical to bring Manu up to the first team after her first season at BVB," says the head coach, adding: "After a somewhat bumpy start at the beginning of the season, she has now found her place in the team. Manu works tirelessly for the team. Her ambition is enormous." Hard work and honest football always go hand in hand at Borussia Dortmund.

"Marjana lives for football. We're very proud that she continues to play for the national team, even though she's only played in the fifth division so far," says department head Svenja Schlenker, adding: "Her fighting spirit is very good for the team. She never gives up. Experienced players, especially when they play internationally, are an important building block for a team. They can help, especially when things aren't going so well. They are the ones who take responsibility and lead the team."

Marjana Naceva herself sees her role in the team today as follows: "Through the international matches, I've been involved in some tough duels against big footballing nations. You learn a lot, especially how to keep calm. I bring this experience to the table and pass it on. I want to help achieve our shared goals. We all want the same thing. We are a good team, a family."

The young woman from North Macedonia has also learnt quickly in Dortmund. She recognises the importance of football in the region and the goals of the club. "I still can't comprehend, let alone describe, what happened, how everything in my life changed for the better. That one experience in the stadium turned my life upside down." Passion and motivation have returned - now she dreams of the Bundesliga and her first game in the big stadium.

As she thinks about it, she says things like this: "The vision they are pursuing here for women's football is great. I like the idea of building something from the ground up and then taking it to the top." And: "The story that they are writing, that we are writing, is thrilling. I'm excited about it." And: "The goal of the club and the team is also my goal." And last but not least: "We want to reach the level of a professional team." In Dortmund, with BVB.

At the same time, the 30-year-old is playing for North Macedonia again, most recently against Latvia and Slovenia in April. "I can't describe what it means to me to play for my home country. It's an emotional thing." Launched in 2005 with players from just five clubs, they have - much like Borussia Dortmund - not only gradually built up a senior team, but also a corresponding support structure. "Playing for the national team, hearing the anthem beforehand, you can't put it into words. Representing your country is the greatest possible experience, a great feeling, something that touches my heart."

She works for moments like these. All day long. Every day. For her life in Germany and for her career at BVB. At work and in training. "It's hard, but I'm motivated." Marjana Naceva lives alone and is focused. She loves the city and the people who live here. Does she want to stay in Dortmund after her career as a footballer? "For sure! I've found myself here."

Author: Nils Hotze
Photos: Alexandre Simoes