Madrid (AFP)

"We must not be relegated to the shadows": Ada Hegerberg, Ballon d'Or 2018, said in an interview with AFP that the health crisis should not interrupt the fragile development of women's football.

During confinement, the 24-year-old Norwegian striker made the choice to stay in Lyon, "(s) on club", where she "has everything on hand" to complete the rehabilitation of her right knee, but she is concerned about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on her discipline and calls on women footballers to "keep fighting for (their) rights".

Q: How do you experience containment?

A: "This situation is both very simple and very bizarre. I am like everyone else, I try to stay calm ... I chat with my family in Oslo. My physiotherapist comes to my house and he has everything equipment necessary for my rehabilitation (Hegerberg suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee at the end of January, note) I hesitated to return to Norway, but finally I stayed because here I have my bike , my balcony, and all the physiotherapists on hand. I tried to go to Poland, where my husband lives, but they are also confined, and the borders are closed. It's hard to be far from my family, but I decided to stay. "

Q: How is your knee?

A: "It's okay. With this kind of injury, we go through ups and downs. But that's it, I'm on my way. We are advancing at the desired speed. I have a lot of respect for the athletes who came back even stronger after this kind of injury. I am inspired by them a lot (Hegerberg spoke with the star of the American football team Megan Rapinoe, the Lyonnais Memphis Depay or the Norwegian skier Ragnhild Mowinckel, all victims of serious knee injuries, Ed.) It’s one of the biggest challenges of my career, for sure. But it’s an opportunity to grow. So I explored new aspects of my personality and of my game to come back stronger. "

Q: How did you do it?

A: "I watched videos. You can progress in many ways without touching a ball. I watch our matches, I watch myself. For me, visualization is the most important part of mental preparation. I reviewed the final of the Champions League last season a bunch of times, I admit, just to find these good feelings (Lyon won the C1 by beating Barça 4-1 in the final last May, Editor's note). "

Q: Do you think the 2019-2020 season will come to an end?

A: "It will be very difficult to finish, honestly. There are so many risks everywhere right now that it's hard for me to say + Yes, we have to start the season again +. Everything is so uncertain ... But whatever either the decision, there will always be dissatisfied. "

Q: Do you think this health crisis can be detrimental to the development of women's football?

A: "It is essential that women's football does not lose its place. Men's football comes first, with all the questions concerning money and the resumption of the championships, but it is also very important that women's football continues to progress We will be in the background for the duration of the confinement, but it is crucial that we are not relegated to the shadows. Women's football is still in its infancy, so we must continue to fight for our rights. . "

Q: The Women's Euro in 2021 has been moved to make way for the Men's Euro. Do you feel like you are the "big forgotten" of football paralysis?

A: "This is a real debate. I understand the importance of TV rights, because we too benefit from it. We also need men's football to be stable, and to develop until the we are able to live on our own. We see that the biggest clubs are struggling, so we can imagine how this crisis will affect the women's teams. "

Q: You are on contract until June 2021. Will you stay in Lyon after?

A: "I had the best years of my career in Lyon. It was an incredible period. My head is in Lyon. I focus on what I can do for the team. My club is Lyon , and I’m 100% dedicated to the team right now. "

Interview by telephone by Tom ALLNUTT.

© 2020 AFP