Around OL – Hegerberg Extended Through 2024
Hegerberg Inks Three-Year Extension
(photo credit: Damien LG)
Olympique Lyonnais forward and three-time D1 Arkema Golden Boot winner Ada Hegerberg signed a three-year contract extension with the club on Friday, December 18. The Norwegian will remain with Lyon through the 2023-24 season.
“At heart, this is my club,” Hegerberg said. “I wanted to extend my contract from the start because there was no doubt in my head. OL have always been the number one option. It gives me additional peace of mind to come back even stronger now."
Hegerberg has been a force for Lyon, helping the club to six straight titles since she arrived as a 19-year-old in 2014, along with five Coupes de France and five UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.
Hegerberg has been honored as an individual player by many organizations, most notably winning the inaugural Ballon D’or Féminin in 2018.
Read more about Hegerberg’s record of success with OL Féminin here.
Three Named to FIFPro World11, Bouhaddi Keeper of the Year
At a virtual edition of the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony held on December 17, three from the OL family were named to the FIFA FIFPro World 11, while OL Féminin keeper Sarah Bouhaddi honored as the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper of the year.
Bouhaddi won the honor over the two other finalists, PSG keeper Christiane Endler and the Chicago Red Stars’ Alyssa Naeher.
On the FIFA FIFPro World11—selected by professional players from around the world—Olympique Lyonnais’ Wendie Renard and Delphine Cascarino were named to the team, along with OL Reign’s Megan Rapinoe. Former OL defender Lucy Bronze, who signed for Manchester City in September, was named to the team and was also honored as the Best FIFA Women’s Player of 2020.
OL Remains in Second After Four-Point Week
Olympique Lyonnais (9-1-6, 33 points, 2nd) recovered quickly from a frustrating midweek draw against Stade Brestois to defeat OGC Nice (6-6-3, 21 points, 13th) on Saturday, December 19.
Memphis Depay—who scored his 50th league goal in the draw against Brest—opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute.
Tino Kadewere doubled the advantage seven minutes later, controlling a high pass at the top of the penalty area and calmly finishing to the left post.
Nice pulled a goal back through Amine Gouiri in the 43rd minute, but Lyon put the comeback out of reach in the second half.
Karl Toko Ekambi scored in the 63rd minute after a sprint from Kadewere into space forced Nice keeper Walter Benitez to charge out of his goal. Kadewere laid the ball off to Toko Ekambi, who easily finished his fourth goal in five matches.
Lyon struck one final time in the 73rd minute, when Houssem Aouar cleaned up a cross from the right side that Benitez spilled inside the six-yard box.
With the week’s results, Lyon has extended its unbeaten run to 13 matches and won four of its last five. OL is level on points with first-place Lille OSC (9-1-6, 33 points, 1st) trailing by a slim margin on goal differential.
Upcoming Matches Around OL
Olympique Lyonnais vs. FC Nantes – Groupama Stadium, Décines-Charpieu, France – Wednesday, December 23, 12:00 p.m. PT