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Young football fan, Alex Grant, thought it was a joke when one of Norway’s star players offered him her football boots.
He spotted the team outside Auckland Airport on Sunday afternoon.
“She literally handed me her boots, I thought it was a prank – then my mum said they’re yours!”
The boots are signed with Ada Hegerberg’s name, a striker on the Norway national team who competed at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Hegerberg has netted more goals in the Champions League – the highest stage in women’s soccer at club level – than any player, with 59. She became the record holder at the age of 24.
She is an eight-time French League winner, she is a six-time Champions League winner, a six-time French Cup winner and the first female winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2018.
Alex was stoked.
He’s been avidly following the World Cup, and even went to watch a private training for Argentina’s team.
The boots are a little big for Alex, but he’s taken them to school every day since to “show them off”.
Janna Grant/Stuff
The boots are a little big for Alex, but he’s taken them school every day since to show them off.
Alex sent a video to Hegerberg where he thanks her, grinning ear to ear.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you very much!” he said. “I’m a big fan of women’s football.”
His mum, Janna Grant, said it’s encouraging to see her two boys engaged in women’s sports.
Grant’s youngest is four, but he seems to be following his brother’s football obsession.
“I love that we’re celebrating women’s sport and that we’re having massive tournaments in our backyard,” she said.
Grant said conversations in her household are about football “99% of the time”.
The day after he sent the video, Alex got a message from Hegerberg telling him to “keep being passionate”.
Janna Grant/Stuff
Alex has been to two FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 games, and even went to watch a private training for the Argentina’s team.
“It is awesome to have such amazing female role models,” Grant said. “And it’s awesome to see kids get behind the sport regardless of the gender.”
Alex and his family caught the Norway team as they were leaving New Zealand after being knocked out of the world cup last Saturday.
Just eight teams remain.
European heavyweights England, France, Netherlands, Sweden and Spain are still in contention, as are co-hosts Australia, 2011 winners Japan and surprise package Colombia.
The quarterfinals kick off at 1pm Friday with Spain v Netherlands at Wellington Regional Stadium.
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