When I play football, I feel like a child again - Hegerberg upon her return
Ada Hegerberg, a former Ballon d'Or winner, was absent for 20 months. She was distraught at times and then she was able to return in the Women's Champions League. It was a painful reminder of what she - as well as football - had lost.
26-year-old Hegerberg sustained an anterior crucial ligament injury while she was playing at her peak in January 2020.
Four months prior, the Norwegian had broken the all time Champions League goalscoring record. This was a year after scoring a hat trick in the final. Lyon won their fourth consecutive title.
She was able "to feel like a footballer again" last week when she substituted for Hacken in Lyon's first group game.
She said that she felt like she was reliving the moment in her head for months, BBC Sport.
"There were many emotions and pure joy. Although it was a long road ahead, it felt like a huge win.
"I felt like I didn’t need those 20 months to remember how much I loved football. But it definitely gave me a new appreciation for the sport. It is my greatest passion. I feel like a child again when I play and go to training. It should be that way.
Although she is back, there are still many things to do.
Hegerberg stated, "You don’t mess with the highest levels and coming back to them."
"It's clear that I wasn't at my best prior to these 20 months, but I can be patient and know there's much more work ahead.
This was a big step, but there is still a lot to do. It doesn't matter how much you enjoy it or how focused you are, I know I can get there if I keep my eyes open and smile. It is something I am certain of."
"It was an extreme experience"
After the victory over Hacken, Hegerberg was overcome with emotion and was in tears at half-time.
Hegerberg describes her return as a "battle"
This was made worse by the fact that a large portion of her rehabilitation occurred during coronavirus restrictions.
She said, "It is very important to take care yourself and know at all points where you are at."
Are you doing enough? Is it enough? Through these months, it's been a continuous evaluation.
"I love to call it a fight because it's been an extreme adventure. It was even more special when you added Covid-19 to it. Because I was able to visit the club and see my teammates, I felt very fortunate. I also got to physically go to work.
"I felt that I was in a good position regarding the entire situation. It was difficult to be separated from the team for so long.
"I have had amazing agents who have been like my brothers to me, my family and my husband. They have been incredible. I was also able to meet people from the medical side, who helped me return to this place. Without them, it would have been difficult to get where I am today.
"You know how you can continue to win"
Lyon won the fifth consecutive Champions League title in 2020 just a few months after Hegerberg sustained her ACL injury.
Hegerberg was hurt, but Lyon's five-year European dominance ended when they were eliminated in the quarterfinals of last year's Champions League.
Barcelona was eventually crowned champions, but Hegerberg wants to see Lyon rise to the top this season.
She said, "It is very important to look in the mirror after a period like that."
"You have to look at the root causes of what went wrong and not try to fix it quickly. But, you can get together to see what we can do to make it even better.
"We don't want any hide. It is important to be open. The season has started well and the girls have been practicing very well. With new players and a coach, we have a fresh team dynamic. We are riding a positive wave.
"Barcelona had an excellent season, but we won it five consecutive times which is insane. Something would happen at some point. There will be challenges. They are up to you.
"I believe that we will win this season. When you win, you can also win the next.
Through a rights agreement with DAZN, the Women's Champions League will be able to reach its largest audience ever. This season will also see the launch of 61 matches on YouTube.
Hegerberg stated that it was "at the perfect time", and now it is up to the players to show the world what they can do.
She stated that professionalism is what we are looking for in all we do. We want to see these games covered well.
"We had some great matches last week, but the season is still long. We, the players, must stick to this and deliver.
