To trace Marta Boabonay’s journey to TW8 is to follow a story of resilience, representation and the endless pursuit of your dreams.

During Black History Month, Boabonay sat down to reflect on her path, the first steps of which were set in motion in Madrid.

"My first memory of football was as a kid playing with my cousins and my friends in my neighbourhood," remembered the 25-year-old forward.

"They were all boys, so they just played football, but I was like, ‘I think I need to be there’.

"It wasn’t common for a girl to play football. In my first team that I played for there were no girls. I used to play with just boys, and they were older than me because the boys my age were at a lower level than I was.

"In Spain, there was no representation at all for me as a young Black girl. The first time I played with just girls, it was a shock to me.

"My inspiration then was [Brazil legend] Marta, because she’s also called Marta," Boabonay joked.

The uneasy reality was, “she was the only female player that I knew.”

Although she grew up in Spain, Boabonay’s roots trace back to Equatorial Guinea - her parents’ homeland - which shaped much of her footballing identity.

"My family was always supportive of me because since I can remember, I've been playing football," she continued.

"My dad was a footballer. I grew up with my mum only, they were not together, but the thing that connected me and my father was football.

"I was his only child that liked football, my brothers didn’t and so it connected us in that way - football is so special like that.

"I was born and raised in Spain, yes, but growing up my mum helped me to connect with my country."

In 2023, Boabonay received a call-up to the Equatorial Guinea women’s national team.

The Nzalang Femenino were the first nation other than Nigeria to win the African Women’s Championship (now the Women’s AFCON) in 2008.

The call-up was naturally a huge honour for the young forward but also opened her eyes to the potential for women’s football to grow.

"To represent Equatorial Guinea was a dream come true," described an emotional Boabonay.

"It’s my parents’ country and I always dreamt about representing them but never thought it was possible for me. When I got the opportunity, I was like, ‘No, you have to be joking or lying to me’.

"I had only been there two times before the camp, but I always felt like there was something connecting me to the country, and football gave me that chance.

"They were champions of Africa before, so being there with all the stars and feeling like, ‘I’m one of them now’ - I couldn’t believe it."

She added: "I remember being on the plane, I was watching the clouds and thinking, ‘Is this really happening?’ like a dream and expecting to wake up.

"We played against Namibia twice, once in South Africa and once at home in Equatorial Guinea, in qualification for the Olympic Games.

"We were staying in hotels, and they were treating us like VIPs. I felt like a professional. I always thought they just do these things for men’s teams. It was amazing.

"I was proud looking back then at myself playing with my cousins and friends and thinking this is what I always worked for, and nobody, not even me, would’ve expected it. I was thinking ‘you’ve really made it’."

But it hasn't been smooth sailing to this point. Boabonay faced many barriers to forge a place for herself in the football landscape.

"I didn't grow up in a posh neighbourhood and there were all kinds of people, but not everyone was happy with the concept of playing football with a Black girl. I faced racism and sexism, and it was very difficult," explained the Brentford forward.

"I always thought that maybe they're saying these things because they're watching me play football. You're saying this sitting down, you're not here with me on the pitch.

"If you are looking at me, watching me, hating on me, it’s because I am doing something different and good. For me, it was motivation to work hard and be better.

"As a Black woman, Black History Month means honouring the strength and beauty of my people.

"It makes me proud and grateful for those who came before me, those who opened the doors that I can walk through today without fear. It’s a reminder of our resilience and power."

In 2022, Boabonay switched Spain for England to work as a chef and played for various teams before joining Brentford Women B in the summer of 2025.

Her impact for the Bees was immediate, scoring 11 goals and assisting five in just seven games.

"At Brentford, I started to feel more like myself. Since I started here, I just feel like I'm really enjoying playing football again," stated Boabonay.

"In the last few years, don’t get me wrong I had happy moments, but I didn’t even recognise myself.

"The diversity and support here have 100 per cent helped. No two people are the same, but at the same time, it's like everyone gets along. If one person doesn’t give you something, the next one is going to give you it.”

Representation continues to be a driving force for her joy in the game and discovering it in Brentford Women head coach Carly Williams has been especially impactful.

"To see that a woman who is also Black is doing such a good job as head coach, for me, I know that it is the beginning of something even bigger," she said.

"I'm glad that she's in charge because I know she's going to do good and the representation that has is amazing because every little girl will see what she has achieved and how she is winning."

Now, Boabonay is beginning to realise her own influence on a generation of girls obsessed with football.

"Honestly, that makes me feel so proud of myself. Even if it's just one girl that I can impact and inspire, that would mean the world to me; I didn’t have that and if I did, I know there could be a whole other history for me," she theorised.

Finally, she gave a message to the next generation of young Black girls following in her footsteps.

"One thing that I always keep in mind is that you need to dream and you need to dream really, really big. At the end of the day, dreams come true," she explained.

"Work hard. Never doubt yourself. Everything is possible. We matter. We are all the same."