It is enough to compare photos of Jassina Blom at 21, when she played football for Eva’s Tienen, and at 29, after three years in the Spanish league with Tenerife, to see the difference. The Ghent native has always relied on her above-average technique and dribbling skills, but became a top athlete on the Canary Islands. Her current form has earned her more and more playing opportunities at the Red Flames, where she can hurt any opponent from the wing.
When she reports to the Red Flames at the training center in Tubize on Monday, she has played a match at Real Madrid the day before. On Friday evening in Hungary, the Red Flames are counting on her individual actions to keep Belgium in the top division of the Nations League. This position provides an advantage in the draw for the European Championship qualifications.
“Women’s football in Belgium has developed enormously in recent years, but when I was sixteen, we trained a maximum of three times a week. Fitness wasn’t part of that. We also had no dieticians, doctors or physiotherapists available. We had to figure everything out ourselves. I am 100 percent convinced that I could have taken steps faster if I had known more at the beginning of my career.”
“When I was nineteen, I was told that my fat percentage was too high. It wasn’t even too high, it just said it could be better. As a young player you immediately start thinking that you need to make some drastic changes. I started eating less and finished training and competitions on rice cakes. Of course that wasn’t the way it should be done. I often had too little energy during training and suffered minor injuries.”
“In the meantime, I also give advice to players myself. In Spain I sometimes play three matches in a week. I now know my body so well that I know what I need and when. Every week I take half an hour to draw up a diet. After a competition my focus is on recovery and taking in a lot of protein. The closer I get to a competition, the more carbohydrates I eat.”
Learning from every nationality
Blom only ended up in Spain when she was 26. “I then played for PEC Zwolle in the Netherlands. Actually, I had already resigned myself to the fact that a major transfer would no longer happen. But the manager who guided me in the Netherlands had contacts in Spain. He knew that Tenerife was looking for someone to replace an injured player. This way I was still able to make my dream come true.”
The Spanish league has quickly become one of the strongest in Europe. The Spanish players excel especially technically. This was also evident at the last World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where ‘la Roja’ won the world title. However, they later saw their historic success overshadowed by a Judas kiss from then federation president Luis Rubiales. By playing football week in, week out with players of international level, Jassina Blom has also been able to grow sportingly.
“Not only at Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atlético, there are also many internationals at Tenerife. Every nationality brings a different experience. You learn from different people every day. Our African players are very strong and fast and difficult to clear the ball. The Spanish players are technical and can read the game very well.”
“Sometimes I get a message from a Red Flame asking me about Spain. I mainly try to teach them that they need to look at themselves. Every individual is different. But if you want to grow as a football player, you have to move abroad. The way of trading in Spain is very fast. Your control has to be good right away, or you won’t be involved.”
“But I have also developed enormously in terms of personality in the last three years. The will to win, the fire and the passion, that is something I can bring to the Flames. (thinks) Although I think that is mainly the influence of Jassina and less the influence of Spain. It’s also not fun to play a board game against me.”
Program jump-off matches for retention in division A of the Nations League: Hungary-Belgium, Friday at 5.45 pm in Felcsut; Belgium-Hungary, Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Leuven Matches live on Sporza
