Ada Hegerberg
Forward · Olympique Lyonnais · Norway
About Ada Hegerberg
The first winner of the Ballon d'Or Féminin, Ada Hegerberg is the most decorated player in Lyon women's history — a scorer of extraordinary goals who has shattered every club record at one of the most successful women's clubs on the planet.
Ada Hegerberg's story
From Sunndalsøra to Lyon
Ada Martine Stolsmo Hegerberg was born on 10 July 1995 in Sunndalsøra — the same small Norwegian town that produced Hege Riise a generation earlier. Her older sister Andrine also plays professional football. Ada joined Sunndal IL at age six and was identified as exceptional talent early; she moved to Stabæk aged 16 and then to Turbine Potsdam in Germany before Lyon came calling.
Lyon's All-Time Top Scorer
Since joining Olympique Lyonnais in 2014, Hegerberg has been unstoppable. She has broken the club's all-time scoring record, netting over 300 goals in all competitions. With Lyon she has won eight UEFA Women's Champions League titles and eight Division 1 Féminine titles — arguably the most decorated club career in women's football history.
Ballon d'Or & The Boycott
In 2018 Hegerberg became the first woman to win the Ballon d'Or Féminin, the award for the world's best female player. The ceremony was overshadowed by the DJ's infamous request that she twerk — her dignified refusal went viral. Simultaneously, she had been boycotting the Norwegian national team since 2017 in protest over the standards and treatment of women's football in Norway. She returned to the national team in 2022 after the dispute was resolved.
Injury, Return & Motherhood
In 2020 Hegerberg suffered a severe ACL injury and missed over a year. She returned to form spectacularly and won the 2022 Ballon d'Or Féminin runner-up spot. She and her husband Thomas King welcomed their first child in 2023; she returned to play for Lyon shortly after giving birth, demonstrating remarkable resilience.
Did you know?
- Hegerberg boycotted the Norwegian national team for five years (2017–2022) in protest over the treatment and investment levels in women's football in Norway — a stance that cost her multiple major tournaments.
- She has scored over 300 goals for Olympique Lyonnais, making her by far the club's all-time top scorer in the women's team across all competitions.
- Hegerberg is married to Thomas King; the couple welcomed their first child in 2023 and she returned to play for Lyon within months of giving birth — an extraordinary physical and mental achievement.
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