OTTAWA — Several Norwegian players teamed with Norway’s national TV broadcaster NRK to produce a “mockumentary” addressing sexist stereotypes and critics who say the women’s game is no match to the men’s.
During the four-minute video, Scandinavian players — in mock seriousness — reveal to an “interviewer” how much they struggle at soccer.
Midfielder Emilie Haavi acknowledges how she sometimes forgets to use her feet and instead tends to pick up the ball.
Goalkeeper Ingrid Hjelmseth complains the goal is too large, and says it would be easier with two keepers or, better still, three.
“We suck, plain and simple,” veteran defender Trine Ronning says in the Norwegian-language film, which features English subtitles.
The Norwegians pretend to send FIFA suggestions on how to improve the women’s game. Their proposals include smaller pitches, lighter balls and having players throw the ball off free kicks.
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They even produce a letter from FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who sums up his “response” to the proposals by writing: “HAHAHA these suggestions made my day. LOL.”
Posted to YouTube on June 15, the video has attracted nearly 270,000 hits.
“For me, it’s good humor,” Ronning said this week. “It was a way for us to tell the people that we don’t care about it, because the product is very, very good, as it’s been shown in many matches in this tournament. We just have to joke about it.”
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