England will face Sweden tonight in hopes of reaching their first grand final since 2009.
While Lionesses are favorites for the home semi-finals, Swedish players can also count on strong support from the sidelines.
Especially star captain and defender Magdalena Eriksson had the support of her friend and Chelsea teammate Pernille Harder throughout the tournament.
Magdalena and Danish football player Pernille, who met while wearing the Chelsea jersey, were photographed kissing in an intimate moment after Sweden defeated Canada at the 2019 World Cup in France.
Hailed as one of football’s “power couples”, the players have been together since 2014 and have established themselves as icons on and off the pitch.
Magdalena Eriksson and Pernille Harder kissed after Sweden beat Canada at the 2019 World Cup held in France.
The couple has since become an icon on and off the court.
Magda Eriksson and her friend Pernille Harder appeared together on the cover of Elle UK and talked about playing football as women.
Sweden is the team standing ahead of England and making their first grand final since 2009.
The couple appeared in Ten Toes’ short film “Love Always Wins” earlier this year about their relationship and coming out as gay.
Talking about the candid images of the couple holding hands and embracing, Magdalena said, “Going out, opening up and being myself has been my goal since I was little.
“Being here today and being open about my relationship with Pernille makes me proud of myself for getting this far.
“Besides, I’m proud that Pernille has gone this far.”
She added that they now want to “help and inspire others” by being open about their relationships and encouraging other LGBT+ people to be open about who they are.
The couple also appeared with other Elle Magazine football players at the start of the tournament this summer.
With the home advantage, England will be the light favorites on Tuesday night.
The couple showed up wearing bright pink and red tulle A-Jane dresses, wrapping their arms around her friend, and said, “Whether you’re a man or a woman, you need equal opportunities to be the best you want to be.” ‘
Despite being seen as a role model in the LGBT+ community, Magda admitted that she and Pernille were never meant to be their status.
“Neither Pernille nor I had a goal of being a gay role model,” Eriksson said in an interview with Forbes in 2020.
“We were really open from the beginning when we started seeing each other. From then on we both had successful careers, we both became models and celebrities. It’s happened yet.
“It was important for us not to hide anything and just be ourselves. Show people, that’s how it should be. This is how we want the world to be. We want people to be themselves and that’s how we want to be.’
“I didn’t know there was a photographer there, so I didn’t even know about the photo,” Harder later said. “It was just a quick kiss after a game, like we do after other games.
Harder and Eriksson have been in a relationship since 2014 and continue to pursue the work of the sport.
Jennifer Falk and her friend announced on Instagram earlier this year that they are expecting a baby.
“This time there was a camera and one thing led to another, the photo appeared on social media and there was a lot of reaction, mostly very positive.
It made us realize that we are role models, not just in football, but in other ways as well. This is something we accept because we know we are lucky to feel safe and comfortable in a well-known relationship.
Another model hoping to shine on the pitch for Peter Gerhardsson’s team tonight is striker Kosovare Asslani.
The name Kosovan, the daughter of Kosovar immigrants who immigrated to Sweden, literally translates as “Kosovo girl”.
Despite representing his homeland of Sweden in football, he stays true to his roots with Albania’s double-headed black eagle tattoo on his ankle.
“I definitely feel like a role model,” she said online in Morningstar 2017. “I get a lot of messages. My family tells me that the young people really respect me because I am one of the few Albanian players who have reached the highest level in women’s football.
‘I was born in Sweden but I am also proud of my heritage, that my family was born and raised in Kosovo, I am both Albanian and Swedish.
“I grew up with a family that showed me how people in Kosovo listen to Albanian music. I love it. We are not a bad country.
The Swedes’ target is mother-to-be Jennifer Falk, who recently announced on Instagram that she and her friend are expecting a baby.
She shared a photo of the smiling couple with an ultrasound photo and wrote: ‘We’re going to be moms! See you in the fall, my little friend.
Kosovar Aslani is the daughter of Kosovar immigrants who immigrated to Sweden.
Her name – literally “Kosovo girl” – is an example of how she does not want to forget her roots.
Meanwhile, Arsenal striker mate Stina Blackstenius is leading the Swedish front line
Stina Blackstenius started playing football with her older brother at a young age.
Swedish coach Peter Gerhardsson started his coaching career as a high school gym teacher.
Meanwhile, Arsenal striker mate Stina Blackstenius manages the Swedish front line.
Stina started playing football in a team led by her older brother Oscar and her father Magnus, and it was only when she turned 15 that the career she wanted to pursue was football.
The striker also has a famous sports sister: international handball player Nina Koppang. Stina played handball until 2013, when she left the sport to pursue competitive football.
Led by Peter Gerhardsson, the Swedish team hopes to break the Lionesses momentum tonight at Bramall Lane, Sheffield.
Source: Daily Mail
