Norway's Hegerberg eager to make up for lost time at World Cup
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The prolific Ada Hegerberg wants to cap her return from the international wilderness by firing Norway back among the elite at the Women's World Cupstarting this week.
The former Ballon d'Or winner stepped away from the international scene in 2017 citing concerns over the inequality of treatment given to women's teams by the Norwegian football federation.
The striker's self-imposed exile lasted five years and meant she missed the 2019 WorldCup, where Norway reached the quarter-finals, before she returned in time for Euro 2022.
That was a forgettable tournament however — Hegerberg failed to score as Norway lost 8-0 to hosts England on the way to a group-stage exit.
Now the 28-year-old, the all-time top scorer in the Women's Champions League, is determined to make up for lost time when Norway kick the World Cup off against co-hosts New Zealand on Thursday.
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Football«There is always work to be done with the national team but it feels good to be with them again,» she told AFP ahead of the tournament from Lyon, where she plays for the French champions and record eight-time Champions League winners.
«It gives me more of a chance to make a contribution to women's football, on and off the field.»
Injury nightmareAside from her international exile, Hegerberg — who helped her country reach the last 16 at the 2015 World Cup — has also spent much of the last few years out injured.
She suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee in January 2020 and in September that year underwent surgery on a stress fracture to her left tibia.
She did not return to action
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