Ex-Chelsea keeper Lindahl speaks out after leaving club following Twitter feud

04 July 2023 , 10:15

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Hedvig Lindahl of Sweden during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 (Image: Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Former Chelsea goalkeeper and Sweden international Hedvig Lindahl has left Stockholm-based club Djurgarden after her contract was terminated by mutual consent.

The 40-year-old played in the Women's Super League with Chelsea between 2015 and 2019 and had a successful four years as she won two league titles and two FA Cups. Since then, she's spent time at Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid and, more recently, Djurgarden.

Lindahl joined the Swedish outfit in 2022 but quickly annoyed supporters with a tweet praising the fans of local rivals Hammarby for their support at women's games. She then signed a Sweden shirt for one of their young supporters after a derby.

In May this year, reports surfaced that four cases of assault were being investigated by Swedish police after a derby between Djurgarden and Hammarby. In an interview with Expressen, Lindahl called out the behaviour of some fans and said it isn't what women's football is about.

"That should absolutely not come into women's football, we shall put our foot down. We will not have that violence, we will have something else," she said.

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Lindahl also expressed those views on social media and engaged in conversations with supporters. However, it was not well received by some, who accused her of not understanding the culture or appreciating the support for the women's team.

Djurgarden confirmed on Monday the club and player would go their separate ways, despite Lindahl having six months left on her contract. Following the announcement, the goalkeeper shared two interviews, one in English and one in Swedish, to get across her point of view.

Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl during her time at Chelsea

She told BBC Sport: "I'm disappointed that it wasn't possible to help the team reach a better place. I really wanted to come in and be a positive force to help develop the team. That makes me obviously a bit sad that it didn't turn out that way. I had an idea of a future at the club but I was afraid I would have to adapt a lot of myself to make it happen.

"I think it was a culture clash for sure. I should have informed myself a little bit better on what I could have expected at a very big club. I really like that people come up to us and say 'I love the atmosphere surrounding everything in the women's games, I feel totally safe going with my small children and I feel represented'.

"The safety, the inclusion and the happiness are the very strong values that I really, truly appreciate. It's not up to me what the women's game will be. I just know that I have reacted very strongly if there's been anything that is not like that. That's what I have tried to say."

Hannah Pinnock