Sports News | Hegerberg Back in Norway Women's Squad After 5 Years Away
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. Ada Hegerberg is returning to the Norwegian national team for the first time since 2017.
Oslo, Mar 24 (AP) Ada Hegerberg is returning to the Norwegian national team for the first time since 2017.
The 26-year-old striker, widely regarded as one of the best players in women's soccer, hasn't played for her country since deciding to rule herself out of selection because of what she perceived to be a general disregard for the women's game in Norway.
It appeared that Hegerberg's frustration was the uneven pace of progress and strategy in the women's game. Her stance meant she missed the 2019 World Cup.
However, the first ever female winner of the Ballon d'Or, who was sidelined for 21 months because of an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in January 2020, was named in the squad selected by Norway coach Martin Sjögren for upcoming matches against Kosovo and Poland.
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"Getting her back means a lot to a Norwegian national team," Sjögren said. "It has been a challenging situation, but we have now put this behind us.
"The foundation of this is a common understanding that we are different, and that we respect each other as people and players."
Regular dialogue with Lise Klaveness, the president of the Norwegian soccer federation, helped the process of Hegerberg's reintegration to the national team ahead of this year's European Championship in England.
"I am glad that together with Lise and the association, we have found a good solution," Hegerberg said.
"I look forward to the gathering in April and the European Championship preparations, to contribute as much as I can to the team, as well as continuing to fight for equality, both on and off the field.
"I want to do my part so that we reach our goals, and inspire both young girls and boys across the country. Now I can finally do it with the flag on my chest again."
Klaveness said Hegerberg “is passionate about girls having as good opportunities as boys."
"It has contributed to a positive change in (the federation)," Klaveness said. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)