Hope has been one the leading advocates for equal treatment for female athletes, so when she sees a peer in need, she lends her voice.

That’s what happened when Abby Erceg, one of the stars of New Zealand’s national team, declared recently that she was retiring from international competition.

Erceg explained the situation in an interview with RadioNZ.com, according to Equalizer Soccer.

“The thing I’ve heard the most is we have no money and we can’t afford it, and that’s really hard to accept as a player when your organisation for the past eight years have been in a surplus and they’ve announced a profit for the last eight years.

“We just want an environment where we are able focus on this job that we call football and we’re able to do it without having to worry about if we pay the bills, if I’m going to be able to eat next week, if I’m going to get to these pinnacle events and be in a position where I can actually perform.”

Hope reposted Erceg’s initial statement on Instagram, and the expression of support made news in New Zealand.