“Through football, I’ve learned that barriers can be broken down. Football has given me self-confidence. It’s given me joy.”

In a time marked by conflict and crisis, the world is divided. But through the power of football, the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ will bring people together, allowing them to unite - discovering new cultures, being part of a worldwide community and celebrating together.

FIFA’s flagship campaign, Football Unites the World is a global movement that will inspire, unite and drive development through football, with FIFA Legends sharing stories of what football’s uniting power means to them. In the build-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ , we asked Nadia Nadim to share her footballing memories with us.

The scorer of 38 goals in 103 appearances for Denmark and the winner of a number of trophies in championships as competitive as NWSL and France’s Division 1, Nadim has a career record that speaks for itself. Technically gifted and quick on her feet, the former Portland Thorns, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Racing Louisville forward was a unique player, both because of her skillset and her life story. Nadim’s story is further proof of football’s power, as an inclusive sport that arouses passion, to bring down barriers and unite the world. “It allowed me to make sense of everything going on around me,” she continued. “I learned the language very quickly and I understood that barriers can be broken down. Football has given me self-confidence. It’s given me joy.”

Nadim and all her fellow football lovers have a celebration of the game to look forward to in Australia and New Zealand, an event that like every Women’s World Cup is sure to bring smiles to the faces of fans and stakeholders alike.

“It brings people together as one,” she explained. “You see different cultures all coming together, different experiences and different styles of football. I’m delighted that 32 teams will be there. Some of them are taking part for the first time, which I think is fantastic because their players will be sources of inspiration for future generations in their countries.”