Ode to Hanna Ljungberg


There are footballers,
and then there are artists.
More than twenty years ago,
I was captivated by a player who treated the ball
like Mozart touched the keys of a piano.
Hanna Ljungberg.
It was 2003,
the Women's World Cup flashed across the screen
and there she was — fast, graceful, unstoppable.
In that moment, my heart was forever bound
to women's football.
I followed her to Umeå,
where football became something magical,
where every goal told a story,
where I had the honor of meeting her three times —
moments I treasure like precious gems.
Hanna was not just a player.
She was an experience.
A voice that spoke without words,
a spark that ignited a fire
that drives me to this day,
from Algarve to Stockholm,
from one stadium to the next,
fueled by the love she sparked in me.
But beyond her talent,
it was her humility that truly stood out.
In a world full of stars,
Hanna shone quietly,
her brilliance never seeking attention,
her grace never seeking praise.
She stayed loyal to Umeå IK,
leading the club through its golden era —
winning multiple Swedish championships,
lifting the UEFA Women’s Cup,
and terrifying defenders across Europe.
Her partnership with players like Marta
became the stuff of legends.
Marta — who came from Brazil,
who had never even seen Europe before —
found a guide, a protector, in Hanna.
She took Marta under her wing,
helped her feel at home,
helped her become Marta.
And it didn’t stop there.
Lotta Schelin.
Sofia Jakobsson.
And so many others —
all of them owe part of their journey
to the path Hanna cleared for them,
to the example she set,
to the quiet strength she shared.
She holds the all-time record
for most goals in a single Damallsvenskan season:
39 goals — a number that still stands tall,
a testament to her lethal instinct
and unmatched drive.
And for Sweden,
she was a beacon.
Over 70 goals in more than 100 caps,
silver at the 2003 World Cup,
her name etched into the history of a golden generation.
And yet — the eternal question:
What if...?
What if injuries hadn’t stolen years from her prime?
What if she hadn’t been forced to stop too soon?
I believe, with all my heart,
that she was the missing piece
in the bronze medal squads of 2011 and 2013.
The spark that could have made the puzzle whole.
And still, even without those years,
she left a legacy most can only dream of.
Today, clubs would fight for her signature,
and her name would be spoken
in the same breath as Alexia Putellas,
Aitana Bonmatí, and other global icons.
Because she was that good —
ahead of her time, and unforgettable.
My dream is simple,
but deep:
to look her in the eyes once more,
and quietly say:
tack Hanna, för allt.
To Sweden
To Vasterbotten
To Umea
Thank you for your girl.
Hanna Ljungberg


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