There are only hours left before Norway open the World Cup against host nation New Zealand. Chelsea’s Norwegian wing star is ready to make up for last year’s slump in the football European Championship, where Norway only won one game in the group stage. – Getting to play in the championship for Norway is one of the greatest things one can experience and be a part of. After all, I have participated in two European Championships, which have been two major setbacks. We came out stronger from the first one, so we can hope we can do it now and, plus plus, she smiles at news. But the road to the world championships in New Zealand and Australia has been difficult. PREGA: The horse was prega after the failure. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – One gets depressed and sad Even though the motivation is at its peak again, it took a long time for the attacking player to recover from the embarrassing EC exit. Reiten says that the EC was not mentioned at all in the first days after they returned to Norway. – You get, I don’t know, depressed and sad. Although football is not really that important, it means everything in the world to us. So when you fail like we did to some extent, you don’t know where to turn. It took time and it will always hurt a little, but these are the experiences you get as an athlete. It’s not just positive things you get in your head. One gets downs too, says an honest 28-year-old. – Did you feel depressed after the EC? – Yes, it felt like that then and there. There wasn’t much that was fun and there wasn’t much I wanted to do. I was lying on the sofa inside and didn’t really want to meet people, even though everyone wanted to be nice and only wanted the best for me, but it gets a bit like you walk with your head bowed, Reiten explains. She felt guilty, because the attacking player had wanted to contribute more to the championship than she was able to do. – It was sad, admits the national team star. After the embarrassment, she could dig in and think “no, I didn’t get any better than this”, or she could get back up and work even harder so that it wouldn’t happen again. Reiten chose the latter. Serie Meister Although the EC was a failure, Reiten had a real upswing in club football this season. This year she won the English Women’s Super League with Chelsea. – I have by far my best football year behind me, but it’s not good enough now. What was good enough yesterday may not be good enough tomorrow. One always wants to move on. A team where I know the people I play with very well and they know me, so it’s easier to know how to play each other well, says Reiten. SERIES CHAMPIONS: Guro Reiten and Chelsea won the English Super League this season. Photo: Reuters The 28-year-old believes his success with Chelsea has helped him become a better national team player. – It has been a great season for me. You just have to bring your self-confidence and believe in yourself here. Know that you can, and contribute with that experience and what I have learned through my football career, Reiten tells a press conference from New Zealand. She thinks the whole team is stronger this year than when they had a huge blow in the group stage of the EC last year: – We are all a year older and have a little more experience. All together have shown in the club that we have taken steps as footballers. This again reflects on our achievements as a national team. We have a new coaching team, with a slightly new way of playing with a more defensive focus. I think we have shown in the last year that we have taken some steps and got good results against good nations. I think we hang together more as a team. On Thursday, Norway plays the opening game in the World Cup against New Zealand and Reiten’s competitive instinct is in place. – My goal is the same every single day. I will be the best version of myself when I go out on the track. I am an attacking player who wants to contribute to scoring goals.
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Guro Reiten became depressed after the EC fiasco – lay on the sofa and did not want to meet people – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
