A new behind-the-scenes documentary is set to spotlight the first female Ballon d’Or Award winner and chronicles her decision (and the ensuing backlash) to step away from the 2019 Women’s World Cup with My Name is Ada Hegerberg, streaming exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.
What’s Happening:
- My Name is Ada Hegerberg, a new all-access documentary film featuring Norwegian National Team and Olympique Lyonnais soccer star Ada Hegerberg, gives fans an intimate look at her decision to opt out of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in protest of unequal treatment of women by the Norwegian Football Federation.
- For the first time since stepping away from the World Cup, Hegerberg tells her story, showing fans the origins of her love of soccer growing up in a small Norwegian town, how she emerged as the best female soccer player in the world and won the first-ever Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2018, and her wrenching decision and the resulting international controversy and backlash she endured later that year.
- Produced by Relevent Sports Group in partnership with Film 45, the full-length documentary was directed by Jackie Decker and Tim Mullen, who have produced and edited many acclaimed and award-winning films including Showtime’s All Access: Fury vs. Wilder, Seaver, The Match: Tiger vs. Phil, Danica, and Quest for the Stanley Cup on ESPN+.
- The film’s premiere on ESPN+ coincides with a Division 1 Féminine match tomorrow on ESPN+ (Friday 11/20 at 3 p.m. ET) featuring the French league’s top two teams and biggest rivalry in Hegerberg’s Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint-Germain. Hegerberg will not be on pitch for the defending D1 Féminine and Champions League title holders, as she recovers from a knee injury suffered last season.
- Also, in an espnW interview with ESPN’s Sarah Spain, Hegerberg talks about how she is still dealing with criticism surrounding her decision to opt out of the World Cup and why My Name is Ada Hegerberg demonstrates the push and pull of joy and frustration the soccer star continues to experience.
What They’re Saying:
- Executive Producer Daniel Sillman: “It has been an honor to be a part of telling Ada’s remarkable and brave story in this inspiring film. Ada is not only world-class on the field, but off the field, too. Her ability to understand the power of her platform to impact change, putting her career on the line, is a powerful lesson in standing up for what’s right. There is not a better platform than ESPN+ to introduce Ada to America.”