”We sat in silence. The tears just flowed”
Lotta Schelin talks about Ada Hegerberg, the world’s best soccer player
Each scene, each price, each speech.
While we stared ourselves blind on a tactless DJ completed the fun the story of Kållereds-Lotta and Ada – the nordic world’s most successful friendship.
– Now takes lillasyrran over, ” says Lotta Schelin.
One was Norwegian and one Swedish.
Eleven years differed in age and one kilogram in the muscles. Both preferred to dive in deeper, pressing it into the far corner, but none were particularly special.
The name was Ada Hegerberg and Lotta Schelin, and in two years crossed their paths in Lyon. A new, wide eyed and unable to even order a coffee in French. A was van, had put forward the team for six years and was called La Reina.
Their meeting, between 2014 and 2016 is modern nordic league history. And for me, it took until Schelins retirement late summer of 2018 in order to grasp the extent of their friendship.
”You took me in your arms”
I contacted Lyon with the desire for a hälsningsvideo and got a stojigt clips with Eugénie Le Sommer, Wendie Renard and Ada Hegerberg. They waved and laughed. But the alliance wanted to do something different, something more stripped-down, so she asked to send a private clip later in the evening.
I got it in the mail. It was filmed with the own cell phone, in solitude on a terrace.
” You took me under the arms. I grew a lot at your side. You are…
the Pan rynkades and her voice cracked when she completed the sentence.
Pretty much the best footballer and a fantastic person.
We are back in the present day.
in the Winter of 2018, in the space of a month, they are called up on each scene, at each gala. In Stockholm awarded the Lotta Schelin Fotbollskanalens of honor, in Paris, Ada Hegerberg was the first woman to be awarded with the Ballon d’or.
For one, it is the end of his career, the other a mastodonterkännande at the age of 23. But it is also a symbolic end point for transnational cooperation.
” It’s crazy that she won. And completely obvious. I have followed her closely and would not be surprised for the five penny that she won, ” says Schelin.
You saw this coming?
” Yes.” From the first year to now, she has only grown and has taken the role of the man wished that one day she could take. I thought she would be the best in the world one day, but not now. She has put a clear mark on the fotbollskartan, she is a complete player.
the Players encouraged each other
What do you say about the symbolism in the fact that you both bask in a month?
– It is well fun anyway? You may be sick happy for everything you have experienced. There is a big age difference between us, but she came in a perfect location. I took her under my wings, but she helped me also. That is why this is special. Lillasyrran takes over.
the Heir apparent. Buddy. My sister.
When Lotta Schelin describing the relationship it is difficult to put titles, It does not seem to have been excessively private, after all, but immensely intense and significant for both målspottarna. They spurred each other to lift the world’s best club teams.
Ada Hegerberg needed a guide, Lotta Schelin needed a shot in the arm.
” We had met her in Potsdam in the Champions League the year before and gone out ignominiously. There were tough matches but not so that she is impressed with anything in particular on me, ” says Schelin.
Then I heard that we would recruit her. Fun. Interesting style of play. But the competition was fierce so a part of me thought okay, it will be tough for her as only nineteen years old.
”She had seen us on tv”
you Felt your position was being threatened?
” Not at any time really. We came from a mentally tiring year, a trökig season, and had a new coach (Gérard Prêcheur). When the Ada came, I finally understood that she had a special drive. A comfortable style. Damn humble but yet confident and purposeful. But being threatened? No, we could play together?
Suggested she to you?
” a Little. Maybe because of the language. She told me several times how awesome she thought it was to be there. She had seen us on tv.
Lotta, Ada, and Eugénie Le Sommer was not going to compete for offensivplatserna, but found their roles next to each other. Often Schelin on the top with the frenchwoman to the right and below on the edge. Or all three at the top, with Le Sommer trailing.
the 2014 Season\u002F15 blurted Ada Hegerberg in 26 goals in 22 games.
Eugénie Le Sommer was a tad worse with 29.
the Trio was first, second, and third in the scorer and won all the domestic titles. The following season they took home the Champions League.
”It was the right place for her.”
” We talked a lot about how we were aggressive in our defensive, but it was startled, she quite quickly. And so I gave advice on how it is when the media follows a, how to act, how to feel the face of criticism, says Lotta Schelin.
she Took one for himself of what you said?
” Yes.” It was nice that she could tell that it was important for her. I never did get the notion that she was divig. On the contrary, she had the mental prerequisites to become the best in the world. She set high standards, she always needed to perform to the maximum, so Lyon was the right place for her.
When you saw that most of her character?
” I remember a training session when it went less well for her. She missed the concluded deals. Others had given up and taken again in the morning, but she stayed until it worked. Missed her a penalty on the training she went until she was one. There are so many times I’ve seen her work very hard for something that is not worth it really.
Talking after landslagsnobben
How was she outside the plan?
– Young but mature. It shone on her. You had a lot of energy when I was younger, but dropped it. Nice that someone came and enlivened it up. She helped me also.
” Yes.” Absolutely. She also gave advice.
hung out with you and Ada in your free time?
” We trained and ate together every day, as otherwise the hung man not so much. But it was a little tacokvällar and stuff.
In June 2016 turns Lotta Schelin home to Rosengård. Still, she is friends with Ada Hegerberg, but the daily taktiksnacken and detaljputsningarna ceases.
In August 2017 ending Ada Hegerberg in the Norwegian national team. She is dissatisfied with the level of ambition, with the level of professionalism, and begins a boycott that is still ongoing.
Lotta Schelin has spoken with her last anfallskollega about the matter, but the reasons stay between them.
” I have understood that it was a tough decision for her and trying to support that friend. So I know Ada’s character so she has very high standards for everything, most of himself, so she does it here, it is because she needs to be.
”she has skewered”
Here is a difference between you two. You never seemed to be near a landslagsbojkott.
” Absolutely not. It is in the end something in our characters that are different. In my person it is far away not to play in the national team, but it would be lousy to say anything about Ada’s situation. She did so here. She was the best in the world. You may respect it.
What do you see in her game that improved since your two years?
– Small parts. She scored a goal with his head before also, but now she is better in boxspelet. She is a killer in the penalty area, she has skewered.
you Can round off with a memory of your friend – something that stands out in all that you have experienced?
” I remember, when we taken the treble by 2016, and went to St Tropez to eat dinner and have a nice day. It was skitnice. Afterwards, we sat in the bus and realized that it was all over. I would go for. We sat in silence. Both understood. The tears just flowed.
