Soccer-Vallotto relishing Norway challenge in Swiss Euro opener
BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) -Hosts Switzerland kick off their Women's Euro 2025 against Norway in Basel on Wednesday, and for Swiss midfielder Smilla Vallotto the game will be a dream come true as she faces the country where she grew up and fell in love with the game.
Vallotto was born in Geneva before her family moved to Norway four years later, and it was in the southwestern city of Stavanger that Smilla began her path in the game.
However, despite a successful start in Norwegian grassroots football, when the time came to pick a national team to represent, the choice fell on the country of her birth.
"To play against great players who play in the biggest clubs in the world, it will absolutely be tough, but it will be a great experience," Vallotto told Reuters in an interview.
The two sides have already met twice in the Women's Nations League this year, with Norway winning 1-0 away and 2-1 at home, giving Vallotto a flavour of what awaits at St. Jakob-Park in Basel on Wednesday evening as the tournament gets underway.
"It will be a little strange to hear the (Norwegian) national anthem, I always hum along to it. We are hungry for revenge for two defeats that weren't deserved, we could have had draws so we are hungry for revenge," Vallotto said.
On July 1, her transfer from Swedish club Hammarby to VfL Wolfsburg in Germany became official, but the 21-year-old said she hasn't been affected by the hype surrounding the Euros or the change of club in recent months.
"For me, it's always been about taking one game at a time - I don't really think about the long term, I think about the short term, so it hasn't been too stressful," she added.
"I've developed a huge amount since I came to Hammarby, I've had a big progression with good coaches and good players who make me better every day. I never thought I would have had such a good progression after two years in Hammarby, but I've done it and now I feel ready for something different."
The only short-term goal in sight for Vallotto as the Euros begin is getting through to the knockout round.
"We want to get out of the group stage and get to the quarter-finals and then see how well we do, but on home soil, everything can happen," she said.
(Reporting by Philip O'ConnorEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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