Hayley Raso: ‘I’ve taken on a leadership role at Eintracht Frankfurt ahead of the UWCL’ | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt are on the brink of qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League as they prepare for their second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. Australian legend Hayley Raso spoke to the media ahead of her upcoming season at Eintracht Frankfurt.

The German outfit are no strangers to the UWCL, having dominated the tournament in times gone by. Frankfurt lifted the trophy in 2002, 2006, 2008 and most recently 2015, but have struggled to reach that level of competitiveness in the modern era of football.

This may all soon change though as Frankfurt have invested heavily in senior players with pedigree. Alongside Raso, the club has welcomed Viv Lea, Hannah Bennison and Sofie Lundgaard. Frankfurt have consistently finished third in the Bundesliga over the last three seasons and will now be planning to press on and challenge VfL Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich.

Eintracht Frankfurt want to be a top club in Europe again

Frankfurt have a clear goal ahead of them in Raso’s eyes — to become a competitive club in Europe once again. The Australia international has competed in the UWCL with both Real Madrid and Manchester City previously and has no doubts about what it takes to get to that level.

“It’s an exciting project here,” Raso said. “I know it’s a team that was a top, top club, not only in Germany but in Europe too. It’s a position where the club wants to be there again and it feels like that from the inside. It’s the same as players, you want to be competing at the top level all the time.”

For Raso, there’s a clear sense that although getting Frankfurt back to former glories won’t be a simple task, it will be a worthwhile one.

“We’re still growing and we’re still finding ourselves to be in that position but hopefully against PSG, we can get that job done and be one step closer to continuing that growth,” she said.

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“I want to bring everything that I have to this club”

There are plenty of people throughout football who will argue Hayley Raso was, at one point, the strongest winger in the Women’s Super League. Having amassed more than ten major trophies during her career across Australia, the USA, England, Spain and now Germany, Raso carries quite a pedigree.

“I think I’m someone who has had a lot of experience in other teams and at different levels, and I want to bring everything that I have to this club and help as much as I can,” she stated. “I spent last year doing that and I’ll do so again this year. But I think we’re on a good path towards being at those levels again.”

At 31, Raso is now a senior player, not only in accolades but in years. With many of her teammates in their twenties and often teens, it’s somewhat of a new role for Raso at Frankfurt.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 02: Hayley Raso at Coopers Stadium on December 02, 2025 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Maya Thompson/Getty Images)

“I think I have definitely taken on more of a leadership role here,” Raso said. “I’ve played at the highest level and I think to be an important player, I need to bring that not only on the pitch but off it too.”

It’s a role that many older players break into and one Raso seems to be enjoying at Frankfurt.

“I have found as the years have gone on, I’ve tried to use my experience in a positive way to help the younger players around me. To help them and inform them about what it’s like, what can we expect in elite tournaments like the UWCL.” Raso summarised.

Eintracht Frankfurt can compete at the top

PSG are in somewhat of a Frankfurt-like transition at the moment. Many of their key players have left the club and no one is quite sure what this current PSG side is capable of yet. However, they are still a force not to be taken lightly, with the likes of Paulina Dudek, Griedge Mbock and World Cup winner Olga Carmona at their disposal.

“I think our draw against PSG last week proved to us a little bit more that we can compete,” Raso admitted. “It’s important to remember the level we can be at when we’re playing well. We have to consistently play that well to be at the top, and that’s where we aspire to be.

“This season we have such a strong team, a really good group of girls. A group that want to win and are going to compete. I think one step at a time but I definitely think we have a team that is ready to compete in the highest level of competitions.”

Where to watch Eintracht Frankfurt vs PSG

The UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifier between PSG and Frankfurt will be broadcast live on PSG TV Premium in France, Monaco, Switzerland and Andorra. EintrachtTV+ will also show the match live on the club’s website.

You can also watch every match of the full UEFA Women’s Champions League, live on Disney+ as part of existing customer subscriptions.

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