My Moments with Legends volume 1-10
Volume 1: Becky Sauerbrunn
She never broke the line. Never raised her voice. But gave me 30 seconds of quiet greatness.
I met Becky after a match, under a quiet sky.
No crowd pushing. No lights flashing.
Just a calm defender, and a fan with a folder full of respect.
She smiled. Signed. Paused.
And I thought: “This is how you meet someone who never needed headlines.”
Read her full tribute
Volume 2: Hanna Ljungberg
The reason I started. The one I had to find.
She wasn’t just a forward.
She was the spark.
Before there was streaming.
Before there were packed stadiums.
There was Hanna — sprinting through defenders
with that braid bouncing and those eyes locked in.
And I saw her.
And that was it.
Years later, I found her.
Not in a stadium full of lights —
but quietly, after a match.
She smiled like she always did: warm, open, present.
And I just stood there.
Not even nervous.
Just… full.
Because this was the player who gave me the game.
📸 The scarf says Sweden.
The shirt says Umeå.
The folder says: I’ve been carrying this love for a long time.
And Hanna? She signed it.
And made it feel like it was always meant to happen.
Volume 3: Lena Goeßling
If the game had a pulse, she kept it steady. If the moment needed control, she delivered it.
Lena Goeßling was never wild.
She was wise.
She didn’t dominate with power —
but with presence.
A midfielder who saw the game one pass ahead.
One of those rare players who didn’t chase the ball
she waited for it to arrive where she already stood.
Olympic gold.
European titles.
Champions League with Wolfsburg.
And always: class, calm, clarity.
When I met her, it was outside the stadium,
brick walls, winter sunlight.
No show, no grandeur —just Lena.
Focused, present, exactly like she played.
I said thank you
for every disguised pass,
every tempo change,
every time she let others shine while she pulled the strings.
She smiled. Signed.
And left the same way she always played:
quiet, perfect, complete.
Wolfsburg’s number 28. My moment with a midfield architect.
Volume 6 Maren Mjelde:
The Steady One Who Never Leaves
Some players pass through.
Others stay.
Maren Mjelde is the kind who, even as time moves on, always feels near.
Not because she chased the spotlight —
but because she earned the respect of those who see beyond it.
I met her several times.
In different countries. At different points in her career.
In Norway. In England. During training camps. After league matches.
And every single time, I had the same thought:
She understands the game. And she understands people.
She always took her time.
For a quick word. A signature. A photo.
Not out of obligation — but because she believed in the human side of football.
Even when the press was waiting, Maren was present.
One time, I brought a shirt for her to sign.
I kept it on display for weeks. Not just because of the autograph —
but because it reminded me of everything she represents:
calmness, trust, continuity.
In a game that changes every day, she stayed the same.
A backbone. A compass. A constant.
When I heard she was heading to Everton, I didn’t think “farewell.”
I thought: she’s still chasing something.
Maybe the record. Maybe one more year to lead by example.
And honestly? I believe she’ll get there.
There are many legends I admire.
But Maren?
She’s one who always surprises me — not with words, but with action.
Understated. Steady. Present.
Volume 7: Rachel Brown
Staines Town FC. The skies were grey, the air heavy with drizzle, but one moment shone through it all — meeting Rachel Brown.
An icon of English goalkeeping. A former Everton stalwart. A Lioness who stood tall between the posts during a pivotal era for the women’s game. And today, a voice of clarity and insight in football media, bridging generations with her words just as she once did with her saves.
She smiled with ease, spoke with warmth, and carried herself like someone who still believes — not only in football, but in people. And then we took a photo. A snapshot, yes, but also a memory that speaks louder than images ever could.
This is why I document these moments.
For that split second when a legend looks at you as an equal.
For those little encounters where football becomes something more.
For those who kept the flame alive before the world caught on.
Rachel Brown — not just a keeper of goals, but a keeper of memories.
Volume 8: Anouk Hoogendijk
Some players are remembered for their trophies. Others for their style. But a rare few — like Anouk — are remembered because they made us feel something.
Outside the stadium that evening, time seemed to slow. My hoodie said "The Future is Equal" — but in her presence, it felt like the past, present, and future of women’s football were all standing beside me. A pioneer. A powerhouse. And still, that unmistakable softness in her smile.
She could tackle like a storm, jump like no one else, and yet inspire calm and connection with a single glance. Anouk never just played matches — she led movements. She broke barriers. She gave the game a face, a voice, and a heart.
Meeting her wasn't just a moment. It was a quiet reminder of why I believe in this sport.
Why I collect stories.
Why I keep showing up.
Anouk Hoogendijk — a legend not only of football, but of feeling.
Volume 9: Caroline Seger
A Captain Written in Time
Some players run.
Some command.
But a rare few —
like Caroline Seger —
carry the game inside them.
She has walked where few dared linger:
Finals.
Farewells.
Moments that broke others
but only carved her deeper into the stone of legacy.
That night, I found her not on the pitch
but seated, calm,
as if the stadium was her living room
and every supporter
a guest she’d gladly welcome.
Her eyes held stories
of silver won
and gold almost grasped.
Of locker rooms grown quiet
and new songs rising from younger voices.
But her presence said more than medals ever could:
That true greatness doesn’t shout.
It stays.
It listens.
It endures.
Caroline Seger —
more than a captain.
A keeper of time.
A lighthouse for all who wear yellow and blue.
Volume 10: Cristiana Girelli
Juventina. Azzurra. Icona.
You don’t just meet Cristiana Girelli.
You feel her presence.
The smile — warm as a summer in Verona.
The gaze — focused like a striker who sees the net before the ball even arrives.
And the aura — all Juventus. All Italy. All heart.
That day at Vinovo, just beyond the training pitch, she stopped. Took her time.
Signed with care.
And looked you in the eye — as if saying, “You matter.”
She has scored for titles. For nations. For pride.
She has danced past defenders
and lifted teams with nothing but grit and grace.
She is the kind of player who makes little girls dream —
and grown fans believe again.
Cristiana Girelli — not just a goalscorer,
but a symbol.
Of class. Of courage. Of calcio.
Cristiana è meglio 'e Cristiano.
Perché lei segna per chi sogna.
Per chi lotta.
Per chi ama il calcio con il cuore.
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