Three decades ago in her Tegucigalpa neighborhood, other parents questioned Melissa Borjas’ mother for letting her play soccer with the boys.

Her mother had no problem with Melissa spending afternoons after school in kickarounds with eight to 10 boys.

Her father was proud of his soccer-playing daughter, the older sister to three brothers. He started a team so Melissa and the area boys could compete outside their neighborhood in the Honduras capital.

And thus started the soccer career of the first woman to referee in the men’s Liga Nacional Honduras (2019) and the first Honduran to referee at the Women’s World Cup (2015). She also reffed at the 2019 and 2023 Women’s World Cups and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Borja now serves as the Manager of NWSL Referees for PRO, the Professional Referee Organization.

In the role created this year, Borjas manages referees and delivers reports to the NWSL for PRO. She oversees the officiating assignments, including the video assistant referees. Borjas worked in the booth at several men’s Concacaf competitions, including the 2023 men’s Gold Cup.

“In our culture in Honduras, in Central America, they weren’t used to seeing girls and women playing,” Borjas said while recalling her childhood soccer. Besides her parents’ support, she had an uncle who defied the gender expectations of the times and encouraged her.

Carlos Pastrana, Melissa’s mother’s younger brother, officiated Honduran pro soccer and was a FIFA assistant referee. His career included the men’s 2010 World Cup and the 2006 Club World Cup final.

“It was very common for my brothers and my family to watch him on television,” Borjas said. “He also took us to the different fields with him where he was officiating.

“So I always had this contact with refereeing thanks to my uncle. I got to know his colleagues, all the famous referees in the Honduran men’s first division.”

Melissa Borjas achieved celebrity status in Honduras for her trail-blazing refereeing career.

At age 16, Borjas took the referee’s certification course and began at the grassroots, officiating U-8s and U-10s, boys and girls. The pay was just enough to cover her uniform and gear.