Paris (AFP)
Norwegian player Ada Hegerberg, the first female Golden Ball in history, has signed a "long-term" contract with the American equipment supplier Nike, the agent company representing her announced on Monday, a resounding and fairly rare partnership. in women's football.
The amount of the partnership, of a duration of ten years "at least", was not communicated but it would be evaluated at one million euros, according to a source close to the player.
Hegerberg, 24, joins a prestigious circle of sports stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, Neymar or Kylian Mbappé as "global ambassador" of the American brand.
"This is a new step in my career. Nike and I have a common goal of promoting women's sport in the years to come," said Hegerberg, quoted in the statement.
"My performances have brought me to where I am today and I am determined to continue writing history with the help of Nike, on and off the field," added the player, who recovering from a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee which occurred at the end of January.
The contract announcement comes in a difficult economic context for the sports industry, hit hard by the health crisis.
"This is a historic contract and a real commitment, both to Ada and to women's football," rejoiced Victor Bernard, co-founder of the agency A&V Sports which represents the player.
Four-time winner of the Champions League with Olympique Lyonnais (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), Hegerberg is also the best scorer in the history of European queen competition. She won the Ballon d'Or in 2018.
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