# Casparij says life beyond football keeps her grounded at Manchester City

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/manchester-citys-kerstin-casparij-i-love-football-but-it-takes-over-your-life/
- Published: 2026-11-10T08:00:32+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T08:17:28+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/nov/10/manchester-citys-kerstin-casparij-i-love-football-but-it-takes-over-your-life
- Topics: Football, Sport

## Key points

- Casparij says football can take over her life.
- She credits her partner and friends with keeping her grounded.
- She helped City win the league and FA Cup last season.

## Summary

Kerstin Casparij says keeping football in perspective and staying connected to life outside the sport help her cope with the demands of being a professional player. The Manchester City defender loves the game, but says it can take over daily life, making support from her partner, family and friends especially important.

The 26-year-old Dutch international helped City win the Women’s Super League and FA Cup last season, scoring three goals and providing seven assists, the joint-highest total in the league. She placed 24th in the Ballon d’Or voting, fifth among defenders, and says friends outside football and her advocacy work help her stay grounded amid frequent scrutiny.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.