Former Arsenal keeper Alexéi Rojas says ‘we need to fix this’ on sustainability at Hale End

From academy cycling to climate campaigning

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Alexéi Rojas says sustainability has been a defining thread through his football life, from cycling to Hale End as a teenager to speaking at the London School of Economics and the Net Zero Summit.

“I’m a bit of an outlier as a person, I like being unique in who I am and what I do,” Rojas says. “I would say that was one of the biggest pulls for me to become a goalkeeper. I like being different.”

His interest in climate action began with his mother, who works in wind energy. Visiting her office sparked a deeper curiosity about renewables that Rojas brought to Arsenal’s academy.

Pushing change at Hale End

By 15, Rojas was already changing habits at the academy. He cycled to training rather than getting a lift from his parents and began speaking to staff about the club’s environmental footprint.

“I spoke about sustainability in front of everyone [at the academy],” he says. “The staff realised this is something I’m really passionate about. I jumped at the opportunity. I said: ‘We need to fix this.’

“First, there’s no recycling bins, we need to incorporate that. We use way too much plastic, which we can swap out for reusable things or compostable packaging; there’s a lot of energy wasted at the training ground where there’s lights on all the time that don’t need to be.”

The campaign had an immediate effect among teammates, many of whom switched to reusable bottles.

“It is really important that clubs are actively pushing what they’re doing in terms of being sustainable – that could be the way the kits are produced and where the materials are coming from, to sustainability campaigns,” Rojas says. His own gloves incorporate recycled materials and the manufacturer donates towards the removal of plastic from the oceans.

Climate impact of the game

Rojas argues the carbon impact of elite football is rarely considered. Teams crisscross the globe for matches and major tournaments attract fans from all over the world.

“In our day-to-day, we may not see much of a [climate] impact right now but, as much as people love going to matches, love watching the World Cup, if we don’t protect the longevity of our game, we’re not going to be able to have these moments,” he explains. “You’re not going to be able to go with your mates and watch football because the game may not even be on because of the weather conditions. It’s making everybody associated with football understand the potential impacts in the future. And that way, by making it relatable, people can actually start to understand things.”

Born in Basildon, Essex, and educated in England, Rojas has represented Colombia at youth level and has seen changing climate conditions first-hand. He points to the brutal 2026 summer that left grassroots pitches across the United Kingdom looking like deserts and forced delays to the start of the season in parts of the country.

“It’s ultimately going to affect the longevity of the game because elite players start off by playing for local teams in the park and, without suitable conditions, opportunities will be lost,” he says.

Kit for good

Rojas has travelled to Kenya for Charity Boots to deliver donated kit. “You’re solving two problems in one,” he explains. “You’re solving the sustainability problem because they are not just going to landfill or being burned. You’re also solving equality by helping disadvantaged people in different countries around the world have access to sports equipment, football boots, that they can then use to enjoy, have fun, and then maybe inspire.”

Arsenal departure

Rojas featured on the Arsenal bench twice, once in the Champions League and once in the Carabao Cup, under Mikel Arteta but never made a senior appearance. He was part of the goalkeeper department when Arsenal won the Premier League last season, training daily with David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga, before leaving in the summer after eight years with the club to join Penafiel in the Portuguese second tier.

“To be part of a group of so many elite, world-class players is something that you dream of,” Rojas says, “especially when, five, six years back, a lot of these players I was living my day-to-day with, training with, were players that I was watching on TV and looking up to. Being part of a squad sitting in the Premier League, in the Carabao Cup, in the Champions League – things that you dream of as a kid.”

The childhood dreams have diversified for Rojas but the power of football remains at their heart, on and off the field.