ALL ABOUT BAESIANZ FC!!

ICYDK, it’s nearly time for the BIGGEST tournament in football!!! The skills, vibes and new Nike kits are gonna be 🔥 V exciting, right? We wanted to know how Nicole Chui – one of the founders of the coolest LDN-based football team, Baesianz FC – is getting hyped. So we sat down with her to talk unforgettable footie moments, the story behind her team and how she’s styling this year's iconic jerseys – on and off the pitch! AND we got the rest of the team involved, too – check out their new Nike training kits 💪👇⚽️

Hey Nicole, nice to meet ya! Can you tell us a little bit about Baesianz FC? Why did you start it?
Baesianz FC was born out of a need for community in football. I was getting frustrated with the lack of space for Asian women, non-binary and trans people in London’s grassroots football scene, so I created my own with my friends Sami Kimberley and Sarah Khan. They’d founded the art collective Baesianz and shared my art, which is how we got to know each other. A year ago, we bumped into each other at a party and spoke about starting a sports team. A few days after that, a WhatsApp group was formed, we posted a call-out on IG and the rest is history!

Amazing ✨ How did you first get interested in football?
Because of my dad! He took me to football every Saturday to play in my school’s mixed-gender team. Eventually, more and more girls wanted to play, so we formed the first-ever girls' football team and I played all through school.

No wonder you’re so good! Do you have a fave football-related memory?
Ohhh so many with Baesianz FC! But the one that stands out is our most recent league match. We’d been on a losing streak since the start of the league, but in the final match of the season we WON 4-0. That’s a HUGE highlight, because it shows the spirit of Baesianz – we never give up and we always play with the intention of having fun and wanting to improve. I love our team so much! 🫶

Love that 💘 Do you have any pre-match rituals? For watching or playing?
I always do my hair and put on my game socks before I leave! I never tie my hair on the pitch, that’s always been a ritual of mine.

OK, so there’s a MASSIVE tournament on the horizon... what team (or teams) are you rooting for this year?
I’m rooting for Nigeria, France, England, Jamaica, the Philippines and South Korea 🇳🇬 🇫🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇯🇲🇵🇭🇰🇷

We’ll be keeping our eyes on those teams, too 👀 What player are you most excited to see?
Mary Earps! I love her goalkeeping ❤️‍🔥

Noted 📝 Are there any kits you’re particularly loving?
I love what Nike’s done with Nigeria and Brazil’s. I’m drawn to bright colours, so they both stand out to me.

Yes, we’ve been seeing Brazil shirts EVERYWHERE 🇧🇷 How do you like styling football shirts, on and off the pitch?
For an off-the-pitch look, I love wearing a shirt with something high-waisted and a cute bag. Oh, and I also love tying up the shirt to create a crop top if it's a little too long.

Chloe Kelly’s picture celebrating in her Nike sports bra is such an iconic football moment. Can you shout out your fave sports bra to play in?
I personally LOVE wearing Nike’s running sports bra [ed note: see similar here]. I have it in white – it’s so compact and also v v cute on its own.

Yes, LOVE! Last up, the tournament is being held in Australia this year, so there'll be a big time difference. How are you gonna fit the games into your day?
Oh, we’ll make it work. I reckon we’ll try and fit the games into a brunch or breakfast situation if they’re early or watch them whilst we’re all ‘co-working’ 🏆