Just over a quarter of an hour's play was all it was for Rolfö when Sweden secured a place in the quarterfinals through Tuesday's 3–0 win over Poland in Luzern. Until recently, it was unclear whether she would even be able to participate in the European Championship.
When she injured her left foot in a Nations League match against Denmark on June 3, she herself felt that the championship was in danger.
My first feeling was that it's over. It always comes to that when you're lying there. I had terrible pain. Of course, those thoughts went through my head, says Fridolina Rolfö after coming on against Poland.
The foot feels good
When she noticed that she could still put weight on her foot despite everything, it felt better. Since then, she has always been determined to play in the European Championship – and the fact that she is now in the tournament means a lot, she says.
I'm super happy to be on the pitch again. It felt really good. I'm really happy that my foot feels as good as it does.
And we win 3–0 and have put ourselves in a good position ahead of the final group stage match (against Germany). Then the joy is even greater.
Around 15 minutes against Poland may become more in Saturday's group final against Germany. A whole match? That's something Fridolina Rolfö can't answer.
It remains to be seen. I started training football recently and have gradually increased. But it's not just the foot that needs to adapt to this training. We'll see in the coming days how my body feels.
What more is needed?
I've been training full-time, but you want to have quite a few sessions before you're ready for 90 minutes. So it's the amount of training I would say. It's one thing to work out in the gym and lift weights, but when you're on the football pitch, it's different muscles you use and endurance and all that it entails. So that's it, says Rolfö.
Changes club
The Rolfö headlines have not only been about the foot injury in recent days. The other day, it became clear that she is leaving Barcelona after four years in the Spanish giant club.
What happens next is something the 31-year-old is not particularly keen on talking about in the middle of an ongoing championship.
I'm very focused on what's here and now. And that's the European Championship. I won't comment any further on that. We'll take that up after the European Championship, if at all.
