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One of the most underappreciated athletes in women’s football, Caroline Graham Hansen plays a crucial role at Barcelona and has achieved success in every available tournament with her dream club. Despite being highly respected by her teammates, she is often overlooked by award committees when creating lists of the top footballers in the world.
The Norwegian football player has achieved statistics that many other players on these lists have never reached. She is currently leading the Spanish league in both goals (17) and assists (16) after playing 19 matches. In addition, she has scored five goals and made five assists in six appearances in the Women’s Champions League.
Graham Hansen joined Barcelona in 2019 as their first summer signing. In a relaxed state at home in Johan Cruyff Stadium, she reflects on her arrival four years ago. She recalls receiving criticism for leaving Wolfsburg for Barcelona, with some claiming it was for monetary reasons and a step down in her career. However, despite the doubts, she believed that Barcelona was the right place for her. At the time, the team had not won the league since 2015 and had just lost 4-1 in the Champions League final to Lyon. But from the start, she felt that Barcelona was where she belonged.
Using the Norwegian player on the flank, Barcelona achieved the triple national victory in her initial year with the team. In all, she has four national championship titles, two Champions League trophies, three Copa de la Reina victories, and three Supercopa triumphs.
“Their investment in the women’s team was amplified after the 2019 match against Lyon, and it clearly paid off,” according to Graham Hansen. “Our style of play has elevated the women’s game and motivated other teams to do the same,” she adds. “We’ve witnessed this progress over the past few years due not only to our efforts but also the increased financial support and attention towards women’s soccer.”
“Observing Arsenal’s current state, with a crowd-packed Emirates, increases the quality of play as there is now more competition for success and trophies,” she comments. Barcelona has also seen their stadium, Camp Nou, reach its capacity of over 90,000 people twice, and their playing style has drawn comparisons to the successful Barcelona team under Pep Guardiola. With their near-perfect style of football, they have only lost 12 out of 244 matches in the past six seasons. “Our distinct style of play has influenced others to think outside the box and elevate their performance in an attempt to defeat us,” Graham Hansen elaborates.
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To be able to showcase her talents at Barcelona was a dream come true for Graham Hansen, having worn the shirt and supported the club when she was growing up. “I still remember my first game; it was a training game in pre-season,” she says. “It was then that I said: ‘I’m really going to put on a Barça shirt with my name on it.’ It was surreal.
Every time I step onto the Johan Cruyff Stadium, I remind myself that this experience won’t last forever and to savor every moment. Joining this team was a way for me to fulfill my dream. My main goal is to have fun and win, rather than chasing individual recognition or gaining social media followers. I hope that after watching us play, people will be impressed by the quality we have as a Barça team and that it will inspire young girls and boys to become footballers themselves.
Graham Hansen hopes to shift away from comparisons to the men’s game. She acknowledges the physical differences, but believes that others will recognize the talent and skills of women’s soccer without them being compared to men. She wants to be appreciated for her own abilities, rather than constantly being measured against men.
“The disparity between playing for club and country is a significant factor for Graham Hansen. Her most recent victory with Norway was in 2013. Despite both positive and negative experiences with the national team, she cherishes her memories and accomplishments, especially winning a silver medal at the Euros.”
Although Norway has top players like Graham Hansen, Guro Reiten, and Ada Hegerberg, they have struggled to keep up with the leading teams in the world. Graham Hansen has been vocal about her disappointment, stating that the team has not performed well enough in recent years. Despite having skilled players, Norway has been unable to achieve their desired level of success.
“We are optimistic that with our new coach [Gemma Grainger], we can alter this trend. However, we are aware that we are not likely to be the top contender for any championship,” Graham states. “Nonetheless, we should aim to be part of the underdogs’ group, which has not been the case in previous tournaments.”
Her focus is not on receiving personal honors. She has stated that it doesn’t make a difference to her, but after not receiving any awards for the past four years, she became less concerned. Winning awards does not bring titles for the team or bring her happiness, so she doesn’t see the point in investing energy into it. While she appreciates when people recognize her accomplishments, she is also fine if they don’t. Not receiving awards does not affect her skill as a footballer.
Social media has been key to the growth of women’s football but Graham Hansen does not have a big profile on the various platforms. “I think in these times there is so much pressure on visibility and so many good things happening off the pitch for the female players,” she says. “I just want to remember that we’re doing everything for what’s happening on the pitch. To just keep enjoying matches and training every day because that’s why we started. It’s perfectly fine if you want to do stuff outside, but what matters is what happens on the pitch. At least for me.
This is a crucial message for young boys and girls. Do not overlook the events on the field just to appear popular off the field. It is not worth sacrificing your daily happiness for.
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Source: theguardian.com
