AceShowbiz - Natalie Portman believes female athletes deserve more recognition. The Oscar-winning actress becomes an investor at Angel City Football Club, a soccer team that plays in the National Women's Soccer League in the US, and Natalie insists female athletes should be more celebrated than they currently are.

"I think that for all kids, it's so influential to see female athletes be celebrated as they deserve. I mean, we grew up as girls being expected to idolise male athletes, and we did," Natalie, 41 - who has Amalia, six, and Aleph, 11, with her husband Benjamin Millepied - told PEOPLE.

"If you see excellence, you can be in awe of it no matter who is being excellent. So, I think that for all our kids, it really gives me tingles thinking about how different their world will be growing up with icons we have on our team."

Natalie loves that her team have helped to unite people in Los Angeles. The Hollywood star said, "That's the joy of soccer or as many people call it football, that it's something that really brings people together and is joyful. And so, you can be supporting something like women's equity, but also having a great time doing it."

Natalie co-founded the team with Alexis Ohanian, Julie Uhrman, and Kara Nortman in 2021, and she previously revealed her long-term ambitions behind the project.

The acclaimed actress said in a statement, "I am thrilled by the opportunity to partner with this incredible group of people to bring a professional women's soccer team to Los Angeles. Together, we aim to build not only a winning team on the field, but also to develop a passionately loyal fan base."