Elin Gainsford is looking forward to Sweden’s FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-final clash with Japan in Auckland on Friday night.
Elin Gainsford is hoping Sweden can continue their sizzling form as they clash with Japan in tomorrow night’s FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter final in Auckland.
Elin, who is half Swedish and half kiwi, will be travelling to Eden Park to watch her heroes, who stunned USA on Sunday evening with a dramatic 5-4 win on penalties.
A huge supporter of both the New Zealand Football Ferns and the Swedish national women’s football team, Elin grew up in Uddevalla, a town in western Sweden, and moved to Cambridge with her family in 2017.
The year 9 Cambridge High School student, who plays for Cambridge Football Club, has been playing football since she was five years old and dreams of becoming a professional goalkeeper.
She has loved being able to watch games live and has been “bingeing football” since the World Cup began.
“We’ve tried to go to as many games as possible; we went to all five games that were here in Hamilton apart from one, because we were sick, and we went to the opening game in Auckland,” she said.
That night, when the Football Ferns achieved their first ever World Cup win by beating Norway 1-0 in front of 40,000 fans, has been her highlight so far.
Elin Gainsford at Waikato Stadium with her Swedish supporter’s sign, “kom igen tjejer”, which translates to “let’s go girls!”
“It was a great game,” she said. “It was just so nice to see lots of New Zealanders coming to watch the football. And it’s just nice seeing that people come and support the women playing, not just the guys.”
She hopes the high-profile tournament will inspire more girls to take up football – and highlight gender disparity issues in sport.
“I just think the boys get better coaching and resources and more attention than the girls,” she said.
“It means that we often get left behind. If you just look at professional, the men get paid lots more than the women. I think it’s quite poor.”
In the meantime, the 14-year-old is relishing the chance to see the world’ best women’s players on her doorstep.
“It’s been very inspiring,” she said. “And it just shows that that could be you one day.”
