Ketlen back with Sereias da Vila, joined by son Lucca in landmark move | OneFootball

Ketlen, the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Sereias da Vila, is experiencing a new moment in her professional career, unprecedented at Santos FC. Called up for an away match for the first time since the birth of her first son, Lucca, the number 7 will travel to Belo Horizonte for the next Brazilian Championship fixture with the Santos delegation, also accompanied by her baby.

“I was very happy when I received the news from the CBF that I would be able to have him with me as I return to the routine of traveling. It is still very hard to sleep away from him. Since he was born, I’ve been with him every day, so this is a unique opportunity and I want to make the most of every little moment with him. I’m very happy to be one of the pioneers and to be able to have my son with me during the most important moments of my life,” said the club’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player in the history of the Sereias da Vila, about this new phase.

The new development comes after new CBF measures that, starting in 2026, officially guarantee that athlete mothers who are breastfeeding will have all travel expenses covered by the confederation, helping them balance a high-level sports career with the challenges of motherhood. In addition to the child’s expenses, the player is entitled to a companion to care for the baby and allow her to carry out all team activities during the trip.

Beyond the new guarantees from the CBF, Santos FC women’s football coordinator Thais Picarte spoke about the efforts of the entire department to make this return of the Santos idol as comfortable as possible.

“Since the announcement of her pregnancy, we have supported her in the best way possible. We adapted to this reality, something new in football and one no one had experienced before. She needs to have the best comfort possible so that she can also take care of herself as an athlete and carry out her profession as she always has. Her importance within our group and for the Club is enormous. We are very proud to help her write this story, and her return to the routine is extremely symbolic for Brazilian women’s football,” said Thais Picarte.

The Sereias da Vila will face América Mineiro at 7 p.m. this Friday (24) at Arena Independência in Belo Horizonte. The match is valid for the 13th round of the Brazilian Championship and will be broadcast live by UOL.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.