Norway striker Ada Hegerberg cut a frustrated figure as she was off down tunnel just moments before her country’s crucial Women’s World Cup game against Switzerland was about to kick off.
The 1995 champions have a team littered with world class talent – including Hegerberg herself, back from injury in the few months prior to the tournament – but have been unable to make things click.
Having been embarrassed 8-0 by England at Euro 2022 and getting eliminated at the group stage, they were then the victim as New Zealand finally enjoyed a first ever World Cup win in the opening game last week. Defeat to Switzerland could mean early elimination again.
But the game began without Hegerberg. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner, who decided to end a self-enforced five-year absence from the national team in order to go to last year’s Euros, was named in the lineup, took part in the entire warm-up and even came out onto the pitch for the anthems.
#NOR Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg headed down the tunnel shortly prior to kick-off and has since been replaced by Sophie Roman Haug…#FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/uVQ8TFSOcj
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 25, 2023
It was at that point when Hegerberg appeared to decide she wouldn’t be able to play. Dressed in full kit ready to start the game, she then left the pitch and walked straight down the tunnel. Norway then quickly scrambled to insert Sophie Roman Haug into the team before the game began.
Initial speculation was that the 28-year-old was feeling unwell. But it quickly became apparent that it was injury-related. Norwegian broadcaster TV2 cited team doctor Trygve Hunemo to report it was a problem with her groin that had been felt during the warm-up.
Injury has dogged Hegerberg for much of the last few years. She missed around 20 months following an ACL rupture in January 2020, sitting out the entire 2020/21 season and returning to action in the autumn of 2021. But injury concerns again forced her to miss most of 2022/23 in the lead up to the World Cup, only making her return to action at the end of March after nearly seven months out.
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