Doing it for Dad: My Story with Vilde Bøe Risa

Vilde Bøe Risa progressed through the various Norwegian national youth teams before making her senior debut in September 2016, since when she has amassed a half-century of caps.

Beginning her career at Arna-Bjørnar in 2012, the now 26-year-old suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled her out of UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 in the Netherlands. After returning to fitness, she spent a season with Swedish club Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, briefly returning to Norway with Sandviken before joining current club Manchester United in England.

A talented handball player in her youth, Vilde chose football largely because of her father, Terje Risa, a former player with SK Brann who later became a teacher. Terje passed away in 2013 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a cycle race, but his influence and the enduring support of Vilde's mother helped inspire her to reach the very top.

Here, as she prepares for UEFA Women's EURO 2022, she shares her story.

Vilde Bøe Risa on…. her first steps in football

I think I started with a club in second grade, when I was around seven, but my mum and dad told me that they would always see me with a ball in my hands or at my feet wherever I went. If I went into the toilet, I’d have the ball at my feet. So, I think I’ve been playing my entire life.

Vilde Bøe Risa on…. her father’s influence

Vilde's father, Terje RisaVidar Langeland (BA)

He was my coach for almost my entire life until I turned 14. So he and I had a very good relationship.

He died almost ten years ago now. People tell me that we run exactly the same, with the body forward. He took free-kicks and penalties and corners and I have to say that’s one of my strengths as well, to have a good passing foot.

My dad taught me to play football, and I started to play because of him, and my siblings of course, and my mum also started women’s football in my hometown. We have been a football family.

Vilde Bøe Risa on…. learning of her father's death

I remember I was at home and my mum and my sister came home and told me what had happened. I didn’t really understand, but I could see on [their faces] that something was wrong, so when they told me that he had died, it was, of course, a terrible, terrible day for me and my family.

It’s just so strange to think that he will never come back. I think of him all the time, that he’s with me all the time and he can see me playing in the UEFA Women’s EURO in England now. He would be very proud. Also, that I am playing for Manchester United.

I told him that I would be a professional once, but I don’t know if I believed it when I said it, and I don’t think he did either. So, I think for him to see what women’s football has become now and the life I’m living now, I think he would be extremely proud.

When Women's EURO starts, I’ll have a lot of feelings in my body. I’m going to be excited but I’m going to be ready and I’m going to be proud.

Vilde Bøe Risa on…. her mother’s support

Bøe Risa in international action in 2017Getty Images

My mum has been brilliant. She has been the boss of our family, taking care of all of us, and three days after my dad passed away, she told me to go back to training, to be at my club again, with my team-mates and my coaches. She told me to live my life again, because you can’t just sit at home and be sad all the time.

So, she’s been important for me to just get on with my life. She tries to make me achieve my dreams and she pushes me all the time to be a better footballer and to make the right choices to be a better footballer.

Maybe I don’t say it often enough, but she knows that she was important for me after my dad passed away. I always start to cry when [my family] come to see me in big stadiums, so hopefully she knows that it’s important for me that they support me all the time.

Vilde Bøe Risa on…. dealing with other setbacks

I think maybe losing my father put my life more in perspective. So, I understand now that when I do football I do it 100%. I don’t waste any time because life is short, and I think every single day that I’m so happy to be allowed to play football and not be injured.

I think they taught me a lot, those two big things in my life, losing my father and the cruciate injury. It has definitely made me a stronger person mentally, and I think it’s easier for me to handle if something sad happens.

Vilde Bøe Risa on…. advice to younger players

Bøe Risa is appearing at her first Women's EUROUEFA via Getty Images

It’s always important to have good support, to be with the people who give you energy in life, and if you’re playing football, be happy with it. Play if you like it - don’t push anything, just do what you want to do. If your parents try to push you to become a good footballer and you don’t believe it yourself, it’s going to be hard to succeed. So, do what you want to do and just believe that that’s good enough.

It’s a bit clichéd, maybe, but just believe in yourself. Believe that you’re good enough and don’t think about what everyone else is thinking about you. Just do what you want to do - follow your dreams and be yourself.