“The underestimation of girls is society’s biggest lie”
“I remember how I cried. Of anger and frustration, and dejection I could not put into words. I was twelve years old and the feeling was new. A concern in the pit of my stomach, like I suddenly was about to lose all control. As to the carpet, the grass, and fotbollsdrömmar, drawn away from under my feet and hands down all the chances I had to become the very best. I was twelve years old and had played football with these guys since I first had a ball at my feet. Changed the if in the judges ‘ dressing room, has become teased before the start of the game. “
““Ey, they have a girl in the team”. “
“it was a joke. Something bad. For can girls really what guys can? It was, of course, no one believed it. And if somehow so could guys kick a ball.”
“So I slaved, trained, got always start. Loved football and had Hanna Ljungberg shirt on a hanger on the wall. Did not dare to have it on me, for fear that it would become wrinkled. So I was suddenly twelve years old, on the way to 13, it was time to take a step up for the team and I were no longer be with. No longer take a guy’s place. I was referred to a newly founded girls ‘ and I thought, frankly, that it was the end. For I had been told that girls could not play football. Could not be as good. I was an exception? Or? “
“So I cried out of anger and frustration for society and the world of sports, the one I loved, told me that the dream could no longer be true. For girls can not. “
“It was – is – not true, the underestimation of girls is society’s biggest lie, and I would be aware of. But then I was 12 and had no idea. And in the end it would all learn something far more important than to dribble on a plane of grass. “
“I learned a lot about all of this in the weekend, when I saw the ladies team play in front of hundreds 25 882 people at the Friends arena. There are, according to the Swedish Football association, no rules for the girls not allowed to play at Friends. Now proved they also that they can. “
“And in the stands sat so many young girls, with fotbollsdrömmar in the chest, that will not need to cry in frustration. Who got to see something else. That girls can, just as they have always been able to. The crowd rises for them. And it was so damn nice.”
“Football taught me as I said, more than dribble. In the end, taught me also one of the most important thing to know. It is possible to hear at home on a playing field which have been adopted belong to the guys.”
“That training gives results. That hard work pays off. That passion is raising self-esteem. A first performance is not everything. That the standards are to be broken. Playing field, arena or platform – it is possible to sit a guy. To claim its place, to take it and get it. “
“Football taught me that dreams are not owned by a könsmaktordning.”
“it is possible to dribble through it with.”
