Ep. 12 — More Than a Jersey: Zjada Baydass, Palestine, and the Power of Belief

In this powerful episode of Beyond the Touchline, Mo and Marcus sit down with Zjada Baydass — midfielder, late bloomer, and proud representative of the Palestinian Women’s National Team .Zjada’s journey doesn’t follow the traditional soccer script. She started at 13. She never made her high school team. She doubted herself more than anyone else ever could. And yet — through relentless work, mindset shifts, injuries, setbacks, and unwavering belief — she carved her own path to the international stage.From training alone during COVID, to emailing coaches until she earned opportunities, to balancing college while competing overseas, Zjada opens up about what it really takes to chase a dream when you feel “behind.” She speaks candidly about confidence, comparison, and learning that your only competition is who you were yesterday.But this episode goes deeper than soccer.Zjada shares what it truly means to wear the Palestinian badge — how stepping onto the field becomes a form of resistance, how sport intersects with identity and politics, and how representing something bigger than yourself changes the way you define success. This conversation is about resilience, representation, and redefining what winning actually looks like.If you’re a young player who started late…If you’ve battled injuries and questioned your place…If you’ve ever felt like the system wasn’t built for you…This episode is your reminder: there is more than one way to make it.Your journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be valid.This is Beyond the Touchline — where the game meets real life.