Shop
Norway and Lyon forward Ada Hegerberg was announced as the first-ever winner of the prestigious prize at a gala event on Monday night – only to see her moment overshadowed somewhat when DJ Martin Solveig asked her if Hegerberg ‘knew how to twerk’ as a way to celebrate her victory.
The moment was widely shared on social media to great outrage, with Solveig apologising for his conduct.
Luka Modric was the winner of the men’s award on the night, while Kylian Mbappe walked away with the Kopa Trophy for the best young player in the world.
“Modric, or any other male player who won that sort of award, would never be asked a question like that,” Bavagnoli told Corriere della Sera, when asked about the Hegerberg incident.
“Unfortunately this sort of sexism still exists in places. Women do not need to show themselves off.”
She add: “Incidents like this put us back years. Right now female sport is taking big steps forward in every area: and there are so many people who carry themselves in the right way as we make this journey – but unfortunately every once in a while there are people who set everything back.”
Bavagnoli’s Roma side are perhaps one of the examples of the growth of women’s football in Italy, with the Giallorosse in their first year in Serie A.
A recent five-match unbeaten streak came to an end at the weekend at the hands of AC Milan, but Bavagnoli remains bullish about the development of her side, and the game in general.
“I am happy, we are getting better,” Bavagnoli said. “Even if we ended up losing, the game against AC Milan was a vindication of the hard work we are putting in. We are positive going forward.”
She added: “The aim is not to earn what the men do one day, but to keep improving. For our status, for our standing in the game.
"Being a part of a professional club allows us to raise the level of a sport: the structures, the support and the quality of the players. That will allow us to keep improving and raising the quality of our sport.”
Imperium Partners
Centurion Partners
