GOALS!

Step aside, pilates princesses. The next big fitness-related flex among young women in Singapore could just be – wait for it – football. This July, for example, marked the first time the Lion City Cup – an international youth football tournament – introduced a girls' competition, with Singapore represented by our under-16 squad.

- PHOTOGRAPHY LAWRENCE TEO ART DIRECTION JONATHAN CHIA STYLING PANG JIA WEI

The Women's Premier League here is in fact thriving with a total of nine clubs and 213 players, and rising attendance at its games, according to the Football Association of Singapore. Heating up the scene is a diverse range of individuals who span students to engineers to even a former banker, all of whom are driven by their passion for the sport and bringing plenty of style to the pitch. Noelle Loh meets nine of them, and finds out how they got into the Beautiful Game and are reclaiming it for themselves.

(On left) NAME: Joie Teo AGE: 24 OCCUPATION: University student majoring in physiotherapy TEAM: Tanjong Pagar United POSITION: Forward HOW SHE GOT INTO THE SPORT: "I was about six. My godparents would watch Premier League games with me almost every weekend, and emotions always ran so high during those 90 minutes. It was hard not to get hooked... When I was 17, I had the opportunity to get into junior college through the Direct School Admission programme with track and field, but I also tried out for football. I ended up becoming one of five people to get through - and remain so grateful for that." HER X FACTOR AS A PLAYER: "Probably my speed" HOW FOOTBALL HAS SHAPED HER: "It has shaped me in every way, especially in learning how to win with grace and lose with dignity." HER OTHER INTERESTS: "I started taking guitar lessons from my dad, also when I was six, and like to play to unwind." GIRLS WHO PLAY FOOTBALL... "...are dauntless." (On right) NAME: Alyssa Deanna AGE: 25 OCCUPATION: English teacher by day, and university student by night, pursuing a degree in sports and physical education with a minor in special education TEAM: Tanjong Pagar United POSITION: Full back or winger