Swedish woman said to be Serie A prospect
Wednesday September 3, 2003 10:27AM
SI.com
ROME (AP) -- Sweden's Hanna Ljungberg could become the first woman to play in the top Italian league, news reports in Italy and Sweden indicated Wednesday.
Luciano Gaucci, the president of Serie A club Perugia who earlier this year signed Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's son Saadi in an attention-grabbing gambit, has been talking about signing a female player since July, and Ljungberg could be the perfect fit.
The 24-year-old striker is Sweden's leading scorer with 48 goals in 88 international games.
Gaucci said he plans to have a female player "within a month," according to Wednesday's Gazzetta dello Sport.
"It sounds unbelievable. What would they need a woman player for?" Ljungberg told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet. "I wait to say anything until the day something happens. But if they would contact me it would be a great honor."
Ljungberg, who is 1.60 meters tall (5-foot-3) currently plays her club ball with Umea IK, the UEFA Women's Cup champions.
"I met the American Mia Hamm at the Algarve (Portugal) tournament, but Hanna is much stronger," Swedish teammate Anna Sjostroem told Gazzetta.
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At first wjen I heard of a female player I thought they weren't that serious but who knows...they seem to just want attention. 'Cause I really can't seem to imagine a woman playing soccer professionally with guys.