Carina Wenninger: “I think we all have the opportunity to help”

Carina Wenniger is Austria's most successful footballer. She recently ended her professional career and is now devoting herself to her new job as a league manager - so she is staying true to football. But that's not all. Carina wants to give something back and is involved in voluntary work. Together with her and our co-founder Iris, we visited Le+O - a Caritas project that focuses on helping people to help themselves. Le+O (food and orientation) combines the distribution of donated and rescued food to people affected by poverty with individual, free advice and orientation services. We accompanied Carina for a day at work at Le+O and spoke to her about social justice, volunteering and her personal goals.

You are Austria's most successful female footballer - has that given you your dream job? What would you say are the biggest advantages of being a female footballer?

By playing professional football, I have definitely fulfilled my childhood dream. For me, the biggest advantage is that I have been able to do what I love most for years. But working in a team in sport is also great and special.

You've stopped playing football this year. How has your everyday life changed since then?

To be honest, I haven't had much time to think about it. My new job as league manager for women's football at the ÖFB starts at the beginning of July and that automatically gives me a completely new structure in my everyday life. But that works out really well, I'm looking forward to it.

Health certainly continues to play a major role in your life. How do you keep fit?

I love doing sports in general. I currently run and go to the gym to stay fit. But I also like trying out new sports and finding out what else I enjoy. Another component is of course nutrition - I try to eat a very balanced and healthy diet.

In your career you have worked for various clubs and have certainly gained a lot of experience. What social inequalities have you become aware of in women's football?

The gender pay gap.

You are involved in various clubs and issues. Where does your involvement come from and when did you start?

I'm lucky that I'm doing very well and grew up in a great family. I think we all have the opportunity to help in small ways and give something back. I don't know exactly when I started doing it - it just developed little by little.

What do you like about the Le+O project in Vienna?

I just really like the fact that people who themselves were dependent on help at some point are involved in the Le+O project and are passing on their help.

What’s next for you personally this year?

It will certainly be an exciting year in which I will learn a lot. Professionally, I will stay in women's football and work as a league manager. And I am back in Austria after a very long time. I am really looking forward to spending time with family, friends and to moving forward with personal projects.