They Fought for Women’s Soccer in Colombia—Now Melissa Ortiz and Isabella Echeverri Are Rewriting the Narrative
They were silenced, blacklisted, and cast aside by the very system they once gave their hearts to. But on May 31, Melissa Ortiz and Isabella Echeverri stood side by side once again—not as players this time, but as sideline reporters covering a U.S. Women’s National Team match in both English and Spanish. A historic first. A full-circle moment built on resistance, sisterhood, and the unstoppable power of truth.
In 2019, they dared to do what many warned them not to: speak out. At the height of their careers, they lifted the veil on the neglect, inequity, and abuse that haunted women’s football in Colombia. At a press conference that would send shockwaves across Latin America, Melissa and Isabella raised their hands in defiance.
Having competed in the Olympics and the World Cup, the Colombian women’s football team was one of the top teams in the world despite the lack of support
They told the truth about their federation: unpaid wages, a lack of matches, and crumbling infrastructure. They told the world about how the team went without a coach for months, about how players weren’t paid or flown to training, about the years—yes, years—years that would pass between matches. And they told the world something even more harrowing: that behind the scenes, there was sexual harassment, and the federation did nothing.
Melissa stepped away. Isabella was pushed out. The federation tried to erase them, but they refused to disappear
They chose courage. They chose each other. And they kept going.
“In 2019, Meli and I made a choice,” Isabella told DRAFTED. “It wasn’t an easy path, but it was the right one. The road was isolating, misunderstood, even painful—but we had each other. And now, to be here… to be celebrated for our voices, not punished for them? It’s a reminder that when you act in alignment with your values and your purpose, even the hardest choices become the most powerful ones.”
They once fought for a voice in the game. On May 31st, they were the voice, broadcasting in two languages, rewriting the story in real time.
“This was truly a full-circle moment,” Meli told DRAFTED. “From playing on the field, to fighting against the federation, to getting blacklisted. And now to work next to each other at USWNT games, covering the most equitable team in the world. WOW. A few years ago, we realized how powerful our voices are, and we’ve never looked back. To now be two of the main voices of fútbol, especially as Latinas in the USA, is something I am so proud of and never take for granted. De Colombia pal’ mundo.”
Their resistance cleared a path for the next generation
Players like Linda Caicedo, Leicy Santos, and Mayra Ramírez now stand on more solid ground because Meli and Isa chose to speak. A national team once abandoned is now better funded, better organized, and—at least a little—more accountable. The ripple effects of their truth-telling are still being felt.
And yet, this isn’t just a story about football. It’s about voice. About the choice to use it, even when the consequences threaten everything you’ve built. It’s about what happens when two women dare to believe that they deserve more—and that those who come after them do, too.
What they’ve done is bigger than a career pivot. It’s a blueprint. For how to reclaim space. For how to fight back with the truth. For how to use your voice not just to speak, but to shape culture.
Melissa and Isabella were never just players. They were architects of change.
And now, with mics in hand and the world listening, they’re building something even greater—a future where no woman is ever punished for standing in her power.
