Caught between passion for the game and the need for education: a study of elite-level female football players in Denmark

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

This article focuses on the passion of Danish elite-level female football players
for the game and the challenges they face. How do they manage to combine the
tough demands of a football life with the need for education? A quantitative survey (2010) was sent out to female players in the Danish 3F Ligaen and Danish
national team players. The findings indicate challenges faced by players in pursuing their passion, as they struggle to combine everyday life, education and
work with a football career, either as amateurs or on a playing contract. In the
light of the Scandinavian sport model inspired by Victor Pestoff, we may be
operating with a different form of elite in women’s football in Denmark. Future
focal points for clubs and the Danish Football Association are to continue supporting the players’ passion for the game and Team Denmark’s focus on ‘the
whole human being’ in athletes.
Original languageEnglish
JournalSoccer and Society
Volume20
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)494-511
Number of pages18
ISSN1466-0970
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

ID: 179043416