Napoli forward Cecilie Floe Nielsen has been one of the revelations in Italian football this season, and is looking to translate strong domestic form into a successful qualification campaign for the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ with Denmark.
The Danes currently sit top of their UEFA qualifying section with two matches to play and Nielsen is still buzzing after earning a maiden starting appearance in the team’s last-start 2-1 win over Sweden, as she explained to FIFA.
“Getting my first start for the national team under my belt was a really important moment for me. It came totally out of the blue. I was over the moon to have been given the opportunity and was focused on doing my best to help the team. I’m incredibly grateful to the coach for putting his trust in me,” Nielsen said.
“It means the world to me. It’s your country, where you grew up and lived before moving abroad. It’s your family, your friends. It’s really something special. I think when you start playing football, you watch the national team games, you see who’s playing, the players you look up to, and you start to think: ‘One day that’s where I want to be, I want to be one of them.’ That’s always spurred me on. When I received my first call-up I was so elated it was difficult to put into words how I felt, it was incredible.”
Nielsen is now well on the path to establishing herself as an important figure for the national team as they stand on the brink of qualification for next year’s global showpiece, as they host Sweden and then travel to Serbia in early June. Wins in those fixtures will be enough to secure qualification but Nielsen is aware that the job is not yet complete.
“The next two games will be very tough. Our last match against Sweden was incredibly hard-fought, and we were lucky to come away with the victory. We’ll be going up against one of the best teams in the world, who are brimming with top-quality players and real individual talent. We’re at home, which could be a big advantage for us.
“Our match with Serbia will be no mean feat either, we’ll need to be fully focused and on top of our game to avoid dropping important points. They’re also well organised and have some very good players. We’ll give it our all, just as we’ve done throughout the group stage so far. The matches against Italy were also tough, and it’s important for us to show we can go toe-to-toe with any team at the highest level.
“We’re a country that loves football, and we’re chomping at the bit to make it to the next World Cup. It’s a huge honour to be involved in any competition, but we’re fully aware we’ll have to get out of a very tough group in order to qualify. Qualifying for the World Cup would be a dream come true, but it’s also a very realistic target for us.”
Nielsen’s stint in Italy this season has also played a big role in her development: “Naples is a very fascinating city. It might seem like a difficult city to live in at first, but it’s full of history and the people are amazing. As far as the club goes, I think we’ve got a really good group of players. I love my team and my team-mates, and we’re lucky to have a coach who really believes in us and spurs us on to get better every day. We’ve created a culture of spurring each other on, and I think that’s been key to our success this season.”
Although currently enjoying a purple patch for both club and country, Nielsen was prepared for what life might have held had she not made it as a professional, and what options may remain available to her when her playing days end.
“When I was growing up, there wasn’t much women’s football to watch, so men’s football has always been a source of inspiration for me. I’ve always played with my friends, at school, and in different teams.
“My family have always backed me to the hilt, and I think that’s been the most important thing for me in my career. There isn’t one particular person who has inspired me, but many people have spurred me on to improve and have believed in me off the pitch.
“If I hadn’t made it as a footballer, I’d have gone into economics. I love this field, and I’m also studying to improve my knowledge in that area.”
