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San Francisco Chronicle
13 hours ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Euro 2025: Norway's female soccer leaders blaze a trail for equality and progress
GENEVA (AP) — In the male-dominated world of soccer leadership, many of the trailblazing women have come from Norway. The Norway team at the Women's European Championship is captained by the first Women's Ballon d'Or winner, Ada Hegerberg, and led by a female federation president, Lise Klaveness, who is one of just three such leaders among the 55 UEFA member countries. Klaveness, who played for Norway's team that was runner-up at Euro 2005, sees a decades-long tradition of the federation being progressive, promoting women and speaking out at international meetings. Before her, there was Karen Espelund, the first woman to join UEFA's executive committee, and Ellen Wille, whose speech at a FIFA congress helped create the Women's World Cup. They all worked with Per Omdal, a long-time federation president who in 2022 was awarded one of Norway's highest civic honors to recognize his support for women's soccer. 'We are not perfect at all,' Klaveness told The Associated Press in a recent interview. 'Of course everything can be better, but I feel like I inherited something proud and value-based.' Captain Ada The captain of Norway's team at Euro 2025 in Switzerland — her squad will play in a group with the host, Finland and Iceland — fits perfectly into the national tradition. Hegerberg is a talented pioneer, winner of the first Ballon d'Or for women in 2018, and unafraid to have principles. The Lyon forward won the award in the second season of a five-year, self-imposed absence from the national team to protest a lack of equality for women from the federation. Even the award ceremony gave an unwanted opportunity for Hegerberg to show strong character and earn more admiration. Collecting the trophy on stage in Paris, she quickly shut down a French DJ's provocative comment about the sexualized dance twerking. In 2022, within weeks of Klaveness being elected, Hegerberg ended her exile. 'Ada already now sees she's part of something bigger … the connection in history,' Klaveness told the AP, describing the captain as 'a very beloved player.' World Cup origin story Hegerberg's exile meant missing the 2019 World Cup in France, the eighth edition of a tournament FIFA's all-male leadership finally launched in 1991. Wille's words at FIFA's annual meeting in 1986 were key to that progress. A member of the Norwegian federation's executive committee, her speech urging FIFA to do more for women's tournaments was a rare female contribution to any debate at its congress. Norway lost that first World Cup final to the United States but won the next title in 1995. UEFA pioneer At age 15 in 1976, Espelund was in the first wave of players when the Norwegian federation formally recognized women's soccer. She later played for the national team. In 2002, at a volatile FIFA congress, Espelund was a rare women in a leadership role as the federation's general secretary alongside president Omdal. Espelund took the platform to challenge FIFA's embattled then-president Sepp Blatter about its fragile finances ahead of him winning re-election. In 2011, with FIFA again in turmoil amid another controversial Blatter election and promises of governance reform, Espelund was appointed the first woman on the UEFA executive committee which she served for five years. Klaveness became the fourth in April. Inspiring role model Klaveness, a labor lawyer and judge, made an international impact in her first month as Norwegian federation president. At FIFA's congress in Qatar on the eve of the 2022 World Cup tournament draw Klaveness was alone in drawing attention to the host nation's treatment of migrant workers and criminalization of homosexual acts, and soccer's responsibility to acknowledge the issues. She later pushed the case at the Council of Europe for migrant workers' families to be compensated. Klaveness describes Omdal, a former UEFA vice president, as 'still my mentor' whom she sees each week. 'He really fought for a women's league in Norway and (to) have 50% (representation) on boards.' Now Klaveness is herself a role model for women in European soccer, including Norway's coach at Euro 2025, Gemma Grainger. 'I feel like Lise is a great example for me and for any female, to really stand by what she says,' Grainger told the AP. 'For her to stand up and talk so openly and fight for more than football is a true inspiration.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lyon needs Renard and Hegerberg to shine against Arsenal in women's CL semis, Barca faces Chelsea
Lyon needs Renard and Hegerberg to shine against Arsenal in women's CL semis, Barca faces Chelsea Arsenal's Alessia Russo, right, and Arsenal's Lia Walti celebrate following the Women's Champions League, quarter-final, second leg soccer match between Arsenal and Real Madrid in London, Wednesday March 26, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP) Arsenal's Alessia Russo, centre, and team-mates celebrate following the Women's Champions League, quarter-final, second leg soccer match between Arsenal and Real Madrid in London, Wednesday March 26, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP) FILE - Olympique Lyonnais soccer player Ada Hegerberg celebrates with the Women's Ballon d'Or award during the Golden Ball award ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File) Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey, left, challenges for the ball with Real Madrid's Shei Garcia during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Arsenal at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Fran Berg) Chelsea's Sandy Baltimore, center, celebrates with teammate Lucy Bronze, left, after scoring the opening goal during the Women's Champions League, quarter-final second leg, soccer match between FC Chelsea and Manchester City in London, England, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP) Spain's Aitana Bonmati, right, challenges for the ball with Portugal's Dolores Silvia during the Women¥s Nations League Group A3 soccer match between Spain and Portugal at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo, Spain, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Lalo Villar) Liverpool's Olivia Smith and Chelsea's Sandy Baltimore, right, battle for the ball during the Women's FA Cup semi-final match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Kingsmeadow in London, Saturday April 12, 2025. (Rhianna Chadwick/PA via AP) Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor shouts during the Women's Champions League, quarter-final first leg, soccer match between Manchester City and Chelsea FC in Manchester, England, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. ( Martin Rickett/PA via AP) Barcelona's players Alexia Putellas, right, and Aitana Bonmati celebrate the opening goal during the Women's Champions League, quarter-final first leg, soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and FC Barcelona in Wolfsburg, Germany, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP) Lyon's Wendie Renard, right, and Selma Bacha embrace, while Bayern's Pernille Harder, left, walks away, at the end of the Women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Olympique Lyonnais at the FC Bayern Campus in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Lyon's Wendie Renard, right, and Selma Bacha embrace, while Bayern's Pernille Harder, left, walks away, at the end of the Women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Olympique Lyonnais at the FC Bayern Campus in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Arsenal's Alessia Russo, right, and Arsenal's Lia Walti celebrate following the Women's Champions League, quarter-final, second leg soccer match between Arsenal and Real Madrid in London, Wednesday March 26, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP) Arsenal's Alessia Russo, centre, and team-mates celebrate following the Women's Champions League, quarter-final, second leg soccer match between Arsenal and Real Madrid in London, Wednesday March 26, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP) FILE - Olympique Lyonnais soccer player Ada Hegerberg celebrates with the Women's Ballon d'Or award during the Golden Ball award ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File) Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey, left, challenges for the ball with Real Madrid's Shei Garcia during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Arsenal at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Fran Berg) Chelsea's Sandy Baltimore, center, celebrates with teammate Lucy Bronze, left, after scoring the opening goal during the Women's Champions League, quarter-final second leg, soccer match between FC Chelsea and Manchester City in London, England, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP) Spain's Aitana Bonmati, right, challenges for the ball with Portugal's Dolores Silvia during the Women¥s Nations League Group A3 soccer match between Spain and Portugal at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo, Spain, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Lalo Villar) Liverpool's Olivia Smith and Chelsea's Sandy Baltimore, right, battle for the ball during the Women's FA Cup semi-final match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Kingsmeadow in London, Saturday April 12, 2025. (Rhianna Chadwick/PA via AP) Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor shouts during the Women's Champions League, quarter-final first leg, soccer match between Manchester City and Chelsea FC in Manchester, England, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. ( Martin Rickett/PA via AP) Barcelona's players Alexia Putellas, right, and Aitana Bonmati celebrate the opening goal during the Women's Champions League, quarter-final first leg, soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and FC Barcelona in Wolfsburg, Germany, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP) Lyon's Wendie Renard, right, and Selma Bacha embrace, while Bayern's Pernille Harder, left, walks away, at the end of the Women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Olympique Lyonnais at the FC Bayern Campus in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) PARIS (AP) — When Wendie Renard scored in front of 14,000 fans in the women's Champions League final 14 years ago, she helped Lyon win the trophy for the first time. Seven more titles and much bigger crowds have followed since for Renard and Lyon, along with a truck-load of domestic trophies. Advertisement The 34-year-old Frenchwoman has scored more than 150 goals for the club in almost 500 appearances, a remarkable ratio for a central defender. Lyon teammate Ada Hegerberg — the first Ballon d'Or winner — is in her 11th season at the club and has won the competition six times. She scored a hat trick in the 4-1 rout of Barcelona in the 2019 final. They are among the most iconic names in women's soccer and Lyon might need big performances from both to win a record-extending ninth European crown. Lyon's last victory came three years ago and since then Barcelona has taken over as the leading team in the sport. The Catalan giant is going for a third straight title and fourth overall. Advertisement Barcelona is led by the flair and drive of two-time Ballon d'Or winners Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí. They have shared the last four awards, making it four straight for the club, and both scored in last year's final against Lyon in front of a record crowd of 51,000. Lyon and Barcelona have met in the final in three of the past six seasons and could clash again — provided they get past Arsenal and Chelsea in the semifinals. Lyon travels to Arsenal for a lunchtime first leg on Saturday and Barcelona hosts Chelsea on Sunday evening. When Lyon won the Champions League for the first time, it beat Arsenal in the semifinals. Advertisement The second legs are held the following Sunday, with the final taking place on May 24 at Lisbon's 50,000-capacity Estádio José Alvalade. London calling? North Londoner Arsenal won the tournament in 2007 when it was called the Super Cup, and is the only English team to do so. West Londoner Chelsea has reached the final once, in 2021, but was routed 4-0 as Barca won its first title. The contest was so one-sided that Barcelona scored after 32 seconds and was 4-0 up at the break. If Arsenal and Chelsea get through it would be only the third same-nation final in the competition. Road to the semis Chelsea overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg to knock out Manchester City 3-2 on aggregate, thanks to goals from Frenchwoman Sandy Baltimore, Swede Nathalie Björn and Colombian Mayra Ramírez. Advertisement In the first leg, City had ended Chelsea's long unbeaten run under coach Sonia Bompastor. The 44-year-old Frenchwoman won the competition twice as a player with Lyon and once as a coach — when Lyon beat Barcelona 3-1 in 2022 in front of 32,000 fans. It was business as usual for Barcelona, which routed 2023 runner-up Wolfsburg 6-1 in the second leg for a 10-2 aggregate victory. Winger Salma Paralluelo and forward Clàudia Pina each scored twice as Barcelona took its goal tally to 36 in eight games, while María León and Putellas showed their passing skills. Lyon outclassed Bayern Munich 6-1 on aggregate with Hegerberg among the scorers. In-form England striker Alessia Russo netted twice as Arsenal advanced with a 3-0 win over Real Madrid after losing 2-0 in Spain. ___ AP soccer:
