Claudina Vidal
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Claudina Esther Vidal (24 December 1951[1]) is the first woman to sign with a professional men's soccer team, in 1971 in Paysandu, Uruguay.[2][3] Vidal signed with IASA Paysandú and played exhibition matches with them, but was never allowed to play an official match.[3]
Vidal played center forward in the women's soccer league where she was called "the goalkeepers terror."[4] She spent time practicing with IASA Paysandú because her cousin, Astur Vidal, coached the team.[5] She tried out for the men's team in 1971. While some claimed she was put on the team as a gimmick, Astur Vidal said she had earned her spot on the roster.[6] The team did request guidance from the Uruguayan Football Association which said there was no rule prohibiting her from joining.[2] Local referees threatened to boycott any game in which Vidal, or any other woman, was playing.[2]
Vidal became a minor media sensation after the BBC did a piece on her.[7] Her age was reported as 19, 20 or 27 in North American media (it was 19), and her hair color was described alternately as brunette or blonde.[2][4][8] The team traveled to Brazil to play an exhibition match and reported "more women in the stadium than men."[5] Money they earned playing exhibition matches helped pay for their home field.[5] The local referees association was against her playing and the local newspaper, El Telégrafo, refused to print the team's lineup.[5]