FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Women's Champions League - Second Round - Second Leg - Benfica v Hammarby - Caixa Futebol Campus, Seixal, Portugal - September 25, 2024 Hammarby's Julie Blakstad in action REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File Photo
STOCKHOLM - Hammarby's Julie Blakstad has already experienced a dizzying array of highs and lows in football despite being only 23, and facing former club Manchester City in the Women's Champions League this week will be the latest twist in her ongoing saga.
The winger has scored landmark goals, commanded a remarkable transfer fee for a teenaged female footballer and suffered some humiliating defeats before fulfilling her dream of Champions League football this season with the Swedish side.
"As a football player, the Champions League (fixtures) are definitely the best games to play, you get to be out there on the big stage, there's a lot of people watching, and it's the best players in the world you're facing," Blakstad told Reuters.
"I always said that I want to be out there and play against the best players in the world, and that was one of the big things that brought me here to Hammarby – obviously the fans and the club, but also the opportunity to get to play Champions League games."
Sitting after training in a packed cafe in the Swedish capital with her Hammarby backpack at her feet, the young Norwegian exuded a combination of youthful exuberance and hard-won experience as she spoke freely about her career to date.
Blakstad made her breakthrough as a teenager in her native Norway before becoming a marquee signing for Rosenborg in Trondheim as they kick-started their women’s team, going on to score their historic first goal in the domestic top-flight.
Equipped with strength, stamina and a tremendous left foot, she soon found herself sold to City for a reported 196,000 euros ($206,329) and called up to the senior international team.
However, a lack of playing time at her new club and a heavy defeat by England at Euro 2022 threatened to derail her career.
"I wanted more game time at City, but I think at the same time, it was a really good experience to be there, and I got an opportunity to play with some of the best players in the world in training," explained Blakstad, who now has 30 caps for her country.
"Of course, looking back, it was probably a bit disappointing, but at same time, I don't regret going there, and it was a good experience."
VITAL GOALS
At Hammarby she has been reunited with her former Norway coach, Martin Sjoegren, scoring vital goals against Benfica to get them into the group stage of the Champions League.
However, the humiliation of the 8-0 defeat by England, where she was played out of position at left back, was echoed in a recent 9-0 thrashing at the hands of European champions Barcelona, and those results taught Blakstad that when things start to go wrong on the field, there is nowhere to hide.
"In the games like that it's really tough, and you come to a point where it's hard to stop the bleeding, and you just want to get off the pitch when you lose 8-0 and 9-0. But at the same time, you get to see the best level in the world, and it's a good opportunity to learn," she said.
Hammarby, who beat Austrian side St. Poelten before losing to Barca, tightened up their defence in a 2-0 loss to City in Manchester last week, and Blakstad said the club's fervent fans can carry them to a good result at home on Thursday.
"When we play against the tough opponents like City it's so important, because we were out there running. It's so hard defending all the time, but when they are there cheering for us it gives us more energy," she said.
"We had great opportunities to score goals (against City), which we can bring to this home game."
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(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
