"Sometimes you have to go too far to learn"

Original article from France Football, published in 2024.

You never forget the place where your life changed forever, even five years later. "This is where I found out I won the Ballon d'Or," Ada Hegerberg says, her face lighting up as she steps onto the pristine grass of the Olympique Lyonnais training center. "Olivier Blanc (an OL Lyonnes executive) told me. Looking at him, I immediately understood how big it was—huge, even. I struggled to find the words. I hadn't even let myself dream of it; the Ballon d'Or seemed so far out of reach for women's football when I was little..."

The emotions flood back on this February 13th, 2024, just as they did in November 2018 when France Football secretly notified OL Lyonnes shortly before the ceremony. The Norwegian striker sits in the adjacent stands to share her memories, bathed in a winter sun that makes her squint.

Teammates as the first fans

"After the announcement, I went straight to my car to call my husband (Thomas Rogne, also a professional footballer). We didn't know what to say. We cried. With my parents too. It’s funny because they were already in Paris; we were about to play against PSG. They were walking down the street and just stopped dead, frozen. They were very proud, I think."

Yes, a Ballon d'Or upends everything. Amidst that whirlwind hour, one thought took hold of the laureate: "With my family, we talk and talk, but I quickly get the feeling that we don't quite realize what's ahead." The (very) near future? A lavish ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris on December 3, 2018—the first ever to crown a female footballer.

"That date remains truly special to me," Hegerberg continues. "I will never forget the evening, nor that photo of me lifting the trophy in front of all my OL teammates gathered together. It’s so much bigger than a simple individual distinction."

"My parents didn't set limits for me, so I didn't see any. Even if it means taking some hits, and above all, you must not be afraid to dare."

Indeed, that day symbolized a shift in dimension for all of women's football. With the Ballon d'Or in her hands, Hegerberg sent this message to the world: "To all the young girls in the world, please, believe in your dreams." The striker became more than an athlete. "The BO gave me a platform, an opportunity to grow the sport, to highlight women whose daily lives might not be as easy. I am the first, so I have a duty to inspire those who follow."

Political debates and the taste of freedom

Though she famously stepped away from the Norwegian national team (between 2017 and 2022) to protest the disparity in treatment between men and women, that dreamlike evening propelled her even further into the role of an activist for equality.

"In fact, the Ballon d'Or gave me a completely different weight; it generated a lot of responsibility, but I like pressure," she smiles. "Fortunately, I was well supported. We had a deal with my agents: performance always had to come first."

As the answers flow, one question lingers: how do you build a Ballon d'Or winner? First, through a unique journey. "I grew up in Sunndalsøra, a small town of 4,000 people in the heart of the Norwegian mountains," Hegerberg says. "My ambition was different originally; it was simply to gain confidence in everything I did, through football."

She also drew from an upbringing centered on freedom. "My parents didn't set limits for me, so I didn't see any. Sometimes you have to go too far to learn, even if it means taking hits, and above all, you must not be afraid to dare."

Dad’s "military" vacations and the grit of Potsdam

In the Hegerberg household, alongside her big brother Silas and big sister Andrine, little Ada debated politics, society, and culture. "All of that allowed me to think for myself. I’ve never forgotten the conversations we had around the dinner table. Discussions that were close to my heart precisely because they had nothing to do with football. I learned so much. That’s what shaped me as a woman."

While her personality was clear early on, nothing predestined the 2018 winner to become the best in the world. Ada wasn't even the strongest of the Hegerberg children. "My parents played football, as did my brother and sister (Andrine is an international who played for PSG in 2018-2019). I was the last one to take an interest. So no one realized immediately that I had talent because I was a late bloomer."

"We must tell the younger ones: not everything is beautiful right away. In my case, it was a real lesson."

Everything changed in a few minutes. "One day, my parents came to see me at training; I was 7 or 8. I was playing with boys. They were surprised because they discovered I already had an ability to pivot and shoot. They realized I had something. And where they were truly great was knowing how to make the necessary changes at the perfect moments."

At age 10, Ada and her family moved to Oslo. It was in the capital that the real groundwork began. "My father analyzed everything to help me improve. Seeing his investment really made me hungry, the desire to do more. Actually, I don't know anyone who deciphers football like my father. It’s funny because we still do the same sessions today when I go home for the holidays."

Even back then, summer trips were an opportunity for Stein Erik, the father, to polish his gems in a... military fashion. "Sometimes he wouldn't tell us how many kilometers we were going to run. We just knew we had to wake up early for a session. I pushed myself to the limit. It could be in the forest, or working on small technical details. My father knows exactly what needs to be done for me to adjust my footing so the ball goes exactly where I want. All those years allowed me to be at this level today. There was only one rule: the will to be the best had to come from within ourselves."

The teenager felt the need to push further. "I set milestones for myself. The next was to play at the highest level in Norway. In 2010, at 14, I debuted for Kolbotn in the First Division. I started scoring a lot of goals. At 16, I went to Stabæk, had a great season, and we won the Norwegian Cup. The next step had to be leaving the country. I decided to go to Turbine Potsdam in Germany. When I think back, I wonder: 'Oh my, how could my parents let me leave so young?'"

At 17, the hardest part began—both emotionally ("My mother, Gerd Stolsmo, would cry when I came home") and athletically. "From day one, I felt it would be complicated. I told myself: 'Hang on for at least three years, give it your all.' You have to tell the younger ones: not everything is beautiful right away. In my case, it was a real lesson... (she sighs). Potsdam was winning Champions Leagues at the time. It was a culture of workers, with a lot of discipline. We had sessions three times a day!"

Was it ideal for a hard worker like her? Not exactly. "I thought I was well-prepared physically. But once I got there, I really saw how they worked. It was even too much. But, in hindsight, it gave me such important experience for the rest of my career."

Then Hegerberg, despite a lack of confidence and grounding, played the game she needed to on November 14, 2013, at Gerland. "We eliminated OL in the Champions League Round of 16. Naturally, when Lyon contacted me, I didn't hesitate for a second."

It was the start of an adventure that has now lasted ten years, allowing both the club and the player to write their legends. The OL-Hegerberg partnership accounts for 23 titles. Individually, the stats are even more staggering: the center-forward has more goals (260) than matches played (240) in the Lyon jersey. Such success could only lead to the Ballon d'Or and global stardom.

Her fight for equal opportunity

Yet, has Ada Hegerberg become a national pride? "I hope so," she wonders. "It’s crazy that a Norwegian can have a Ballon d'Or. We are a country of five million people, not naturally built for football. Winter sports take up a lot of space." Armed with Ada Hegerberg and now Erling Haaland on the men's side, Norway might be poised to change its passion.

Though her voice is heard internationally—especially since her BO win—the striker remains attached to a certain discretion. "My returns home are quite peaceful because people are very different from the French, who are bolder about coming up to talk to you or ask for a photo. In Norway, you feel the gaze, but it's not the same. It allows me to keep in touch with the new generation, which is really close to my heart."

To inspire, always. Because new battles are approaching. "We need to be given the same chances as men; we need help from higher up. But at FIFA and UEFA, they tend to sleep quite a bit. Especially regarding the consideration of women's bodies on a medical level. I was often alone. No one could help me find the right expertise. I had to find it myself through a physio who knew a biologist specializing in hormones. He knows how the female body works, and he got me out of hell."

"I dream of trophies and records, but also of simple things for my retirement. I dream of a life with my husband."

These "turbulences" refers to the two years undermined by injuries: a ruptured ACL in her right knee in February 2020, followed by a stress fracture in her left tibia in September 2020, before returning to the pitch in October 2021.

"I thought I had experienced everything mentally in my career, but that’s really when I discovered my mental strength. Honestly, there were moments when I was..." She pauses, hand pressed to her forehead. "My God, I’ve really known the highest highs, but also the lowest lows. What I take away is that I managed to stay focused, to set small goals even when I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel."

During that time, OL was dethroned by Barça as the new best women's club in Europe, and Alexia Putellas followed by Aitana Bonmatí became the new queens. "But I was so thirsty for a comeback; I never gave up. I didn't want injuries to define my career. You can see that especially with my 2021-2022 season. The game had gained intensity, I had to reinvent myself in a position that asks everything of you, and we ended up winning the Champions League. That’s what I’m most proud of—knowing how I came back. It was truly a rollercoaster."

Eight years of long-distance

Hegerberg, under contract until June, has returned to her very best form, with 25 goals in 27 matches played this season. And OL, top of the league and qualified for the Champions League semi-finals against PSG, can still aim high.

Is a second individual crowning a goal? "Yes, but I don't want to lose myself on the way by stating it too clearly. I know how much it costs to win the Ballon d'Or, individually and collectively. It will take 50 goals and winning everything. Then we’ll do the math at the end of the season."

For the striker, this trophy holds a unique importance—so much so that she refuses to reveal where it is hidden. "I’m a bit afraid to say," she laughs, looking at her sneakers. "It’s so precious... so I’ve never told the truth about its location. It’s at my home, but I won’t say if it’s in France or Norway. Just know it’s safe!"

She has been playing for so long, yet she is only 28, with many years left to build her resume. "Thank you for reminding me," she jokes. But from another angle, those fourteen years of career have been enough to start imagining the "after."

"I dream of trophies and records, but also of so many simple things for my retirement. I dream of a life with my husband. I married him in 2019, and we’ve lived our relationship at a distance for eight years. So you could say we are passionate... about football! But I look forward to the day we can live together."

Her husband is a center-back in Sweden. "We manage to see each other in the summer and at Christmas, or when we have a day off and the schedule allows. It’s a challenge, for sure, but it doesn't work without trust, and I think we’re doing well. We know we’re going to spend our whole lives together. He is the most important thing to me. Luckily, he’s five years older—he’ll already be retired when I decide to stop!"

Still, a committed personality like hers is unlikely to fade from the public sphere. "I’ve had the chance to learn different languages and cultures. All the opportunities football has given me will probably define my path. I don't have a precise idea yet; maybe it will be in the defense of women's rights..."

The voice of Jeanne Sigismeau, OL's press officer, interrupts the answer: "You'll be President of the Republic!" Hegerberg reacts with a twinkle in her eye: "We’ll see, we have plenty of time to discuss all that!"