A night that should be the most joyful for the first-ever women’s soccer player of the year instead ended in degradation after she was asked to twerk on stage following the acceptance of her award.
On Monday nigh, 23-year-old Norwegian Olympique Lyonnais striker, Ada Hegerberg, walked onto the stage to accept her award as the first-ever women’s soccer player of the year. What could have stayed a delightful moment turned into a cesspool for overt misogyny, sexism, and harassment. As soon as Hegerberg accepted her award the presenter, #MartinSolveig, asked her in French if “she could twerk.” Visibly upset, Hegerberg declined with a sharp “no,” and left the stage.
Hegerberg accepted the award for the Women’s Ballon d’or, which is an annual soccer award that has always acknowledged and been given to men. Hegerberg scored 31 goals in 29 games for Lyon across all competitions this season, and her team won the Champions League for the third year in a row.
Before the disruption, Hegerberg thanked all who contributed to that moment. “I want to say thanks to my team-mates because this would not have been possible without them, my coach or our president Jean-Michel Aulas,” Hegerberg said.
“I also want to thank France Football. This is a huge step for women’s football.”
