Roopa Vyas on the Converse x Liverpool F.C. partnership

Words by Larena Amin, Interview by Evar Hussayni

Inheriting the family rite of supporting Liverpool F.C (LFC), we meet Roopa Vyas at her home away from home. It seems the 26 year old powerhouse has a number of affinities with the Northern city. Humble in her achievements, Roopa manages her time across full time employment, LFC ambassadorship, directorship of the women's football organisation HerGameToo, and now taking centre stage in the new Converse x Liverpool F.C partnership.

Vyas’ proximity to Liverpool began remotely, early memories in South Wales watching football with her older brother and father informed her first preferences. Describing various match day rituals, Roopa fondly admits that her bond to the sport and fan culture “grew from just hearing the songs”... ‘You'll Never Walk Alone’ became Liverpool F.C’s anthem in the 60’s, is still sung by fans packing out Anfield and away, has been referenced by rappers and singers, and has been embedded within the zeitgeist since. From her recollections, it is clear that belonging and engagement are key themes in the collectivity of football. The parameters of belonging are broad in the realm of Liverpool F.C’s achievements, there are over 300 fan clubs in 100 countries worldwide including Morocco, Nigeria, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Mauritius, and South Korea. “...you see on TV, like, the crowds and how passionate the fans were. It was like, I'm part of that even though I'm not there”.

Working in the pharmaceutical industry by day, Roopa explains that her free time is packed with voluntary work, including her ambassadorship for LFC on behalf of HerGameToo. “Initially it was quite nerve wrecking speaking with people who work for the club that I've supported my whole life, and I have to compose myself because I have to be professional. It's been over a year now and I’m just happy that I'm working with football players from the team I love - I felt connected before, but I just feel like I've got a special connection with them now because I'm working with them”. For university, Roopa moved from South Wales to the home of the Reds - “People travel across the world just to experience Anfield, which Scousers have on their doorstep. I was fortunate enough to have that for three and a half years. The 10-15 min walk to Anfield on the weekend was something special”. We learn of the warehouses and pubs that supporters have frequented for decades, where Roopa now enjoys pre-match socialising and further developing her praxis as a fan with her friends.

“Being an LFC fan informs my creativity a lot, I had thoughts and opinions on the games. All of my media handles had LFC in it (…) Being a female football fan in a male dominated environment, that kind of pushed me to use social media to my advantage and be vocal about my opinions and thoughts on the games, the club and football in general. I was told that I knew nothing because I'm a woman, but I think just being a Liverpool F.C fan allowed me to take that opportunity”. Roopa’s inventory of skills around the beautiful game are boundless - having utilised her creativity ignited by the sport’s atmosphere. Roopa has been blogging since 2015, an impressive commentator, and an experienced podcaster.

The honed fan-turned-expert has an unwavering dedication to the field, with a focus on Liverpool F.C and the role of women in and around the game. This feverance got her verified on social media and trusted with more opportunities than she can realistically fit in her schedule. “I just really wanted to talk about football all day every day. If I wanted to get stuff off my mind I could just put it out in a blog post. I think I would like to continue this type of creative outlet in some capacity, and I think I am by using other platforms - podcasts, radio appearances, and I go on fan channels quite often. I am being literally more vocal and creative by actually going on channels, appearing and talking about it rather than just writing – I think this was just a natural progression from when I started back in 2015”. Roopa is ambitious about how she plans to share her creativity, engaging in video content and ideating media formats to best explore punditry and community. The vast interconnected nature of social media has allowed clubs to connect with fans in ways unlike before. Fans have been able to utilise social media formats for content-sharing, reaching large audiences and becoming the new familiar voices and faces of football.

“I was always like ‘how do people do instagram reels?’, but I needed a push and I got that from taking part in things like Converse x LFC, now I'm more comfortable with sitting in a room and talking to a camera because I know there's people out there who will listen and who will share their opinions back with me”. Her presence permeates in-person as well as online, however, she gave her first public speech only last year - to an audience of 10,000 Welsh football fans no less.

The wide-scoping talents of the young spearhead has cemented her within the sector. Her charisma and resoluteness caught the attention of her football club for whom she now liaises with on gender issues, and Converse, who wanted to champion her progression and creativity in the field. Vyas describes the journey towards the Converse x LFC partnership as a dream. She was initially intrigued by the potential outcomes of the collaboration, an atypical yet exciting partnership. “I think this partnership speaks to the wider fan base and the people who are a little bit different from the norm, which is the whole point. To celebrate the creative and diverse nature of the club’s supporters is an amazing thing to be part of”. When approached by Converse and asked to tell the team more about HerGameToo, Roopa immediately knew she wanted to be a part of the process. “I'm not just being asked to wear the collection in a photo shoot. I'm being asked to share my story. I wanted to spread the word of HerGameToo. I just can't believe my face is on posters in Anfield”.

The impassioned ambassador tells us more about her background, Indian by way of India and Uganda, born and bred in Caerphilly, Wales. Parallel to the vocal efforts of women in football, fans of ‘othered’ ethnic backgrounds have also been active in educating on and tackling racism in the sport. Roopa explains that layered barriers began closer to home though, “there’s a lot of stigma around women and football in the South Asian community”. Dissuasion and tangents couldn’t deter her however, “It’s always ‘focus on your education’ but I’ve done that now. I'm in a stable job, earning good money, I'm doing what I need to do. So why not let me just enjoy what I love? Which is football (…) With HerGameToo it’s so important to show other young girls and women they can also enjoy football”.

HerGameToo landed loudly in 2021. The determination and work rate of the young organisation is unprecedented, Roopa describes her greatest achievement as HerGameToo’s win for Best Organisation of Women's football at the Football Content Awards. “We beat BBC Sports, the Guardian. I don't think we ever expected to beat organisations as big as that”. Her time in the organisation has been fruitful, becoming director in December when the group became incorporated as a community interest company. “It went from ‘I think I'm going to join that’ and now it’s my life. Work is really supportive of my role with HerGameToo but I think they’re scared of losing me in the future. We're currently all volunteers but in the future we'd love to have a number of paid roles so people can do this full time because there is such a need for it”. The efforts of Roopa, her colleagues, and community are tirelessly blending the intersections of identity and lifestyle to normalise the presence and participation of women in the public sporting sphere, across all levels. “The aim is educating and raising awareness and creating a community… we’ve got each other to lean on. Providing that safe space for anyone, women, people from the queer and trans community, everyone. And we all learn from each other”.

When we asked if she could have dinner with any footballer, Roopa responded “has to be the legend Mr. Ian Rush, who I met at a Welsh Fan Festival in Wrexham. He's a Liverpool F.C icon, but also a Welsh icon. I think he's just like me. I'd love to have a conversation and talk about [his] time at Liverpool F.C and what it means to [him], but then also, his time with Wales and how the two go together because I'm pretty sure he feels the same as me, like the connection between the Welsh and the Scouse”.

Keep up with Roopa’s work here

View the Converse x Liverpool F.C collection here

CREDITS:

@azeemaagency Production

Photographer + Creative Director - Jameela Elfaki @jameelaelfaki

Creative Producer - Sunayah Arshad @sunayah._

Art Director - Evar Hussayni @evarhussayni

Stylist - Neesha Tulsi Champaneria @neeshatulsichampaneria

Stylist Assistant - Naailah Khalifa @naailahkhalifa

Makeup - Laila Zakaria @laicreates

Hair - Mayuko Nakae @mayukonakae___

Photo Assistant - Ella Costache @ella_costache

Roopa Vyas on the Converse x Liverpool F.C. partnership, HerGameToo, and the game as a regenerative source of resilience and passion for women football fans