Women have historically not had it easy in the male-dominated world of football, and only in the 1970s did most countries lift bans on women's football. I just listened to a very interesting podcast from Danish Radio, "Retten til Fodbold" ("The Right to Football") that through two Danish stories told about the challenges and discrimination faced by women in football.
The first story is an interview with Lone Hansen, a Danish player on the 1970 Danish National team that won the first women's World Cup in 1970, and facing the discrimination from the Danish Football Association (DBU) decided to become one of the first professional female players in Italy, in 1971, when she went to play for Fiorentina, where she stayed for four years, but never received any recognition in Denmark, where DBU only allowed women football after pressure from UEFA in 1972 (and even despite the fact that Denmark had won the Unofficial Women's World Cup in 1971).
The second story is more recent, and is that of the Afghan-born Danish player Nadia Nadim. Born in Afghanistan she experienced the Taliban takeover and her family had to flee to Denmark, where she was able to play football, and was spotted early on by scouts and was invited for the Danish National team despite all the discrimination she faced as a woman, but also as a refugee. Nadia Nadim went on to become a superstar and has been capped 104 times for Denmark!
Even today women face discrimination in football despite huge advances, and it is clear that this even happens in Denmark, and the amazing story of these two strong women is a welcome reminder, besides it being amazing stories.
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