Sweden’s Empowering Women Soccer Jerseys Bring Them Luck

When it comes to empowerment, women and sports are a perfect match. Recently, Adidas — the makers of the Swedish Football Association team jersey — teamed up with the Swedish women’s national soccer team Damlandslaget to commemorate female power on International Women’s Day.

The jerseys were unveiled at the Algarve Cup in Portugal on March 1 where the Swedes competed for the championship title. The shirts brought them luck as they won against Australia, 1-0, as seen here in the final scoring goal.

Unfortunately, the luck of Damlandslaget didn’t last as they placed seventh against Russia. However, launching the #IDittNamm” (in your name) campaign where each player replaced their name on their jersey with an inspirational quote will continue to inspire other young female athletes.

The quotes were chosen from their favorite feminists. Hanna Folkesson, posted her jersey on her Instagram account with the saying, “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss.” This quote is from Nina Akestam, an author, writer and lecturer at the Stockholm School of Economics.

Folkesson wrote (translated), “I have chosen to highlight the quote “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss” from @NinaAkestam to urge all women to dare to take place, both on and off the pitch. #IDittNamn #swewnt.”

Midfielder Lisa Dahlkvist (#7) quoted a tweet by Swedish pop icon Zara Larsson, “Believe in your damn self.”

Magdalena Eriksson (#6) took the slogan, “I am playing for my girls in Iran,” quoting Swedish radio and television host Agnes Lo Akerlind who is famous for her innovative breakthroughs in Swedish web TV.

Eriksson tweeted (translated), “I have chosen to highlight a quote from @agnes_lo_ because I play football for all those who can not. Or get. #IdittNamn.”

Jag har valt att lyfta ett citat från @agnes_lo_ eftersom att jag spelar fotboll för alla de som inte kan. Eller får. #IDittNamn pic.twitter.com/4coFpE3Thi

— Magdalena Eriksson (@MagdaEricsson) February 28, 2017

Damlandslaget team captain and forward Lotta Schelin (# 8) quoted Swedish politician Gudrun Schyman in her native tongue, which translated said, “Never look down on someone unless it is to help her up.”

In a press release obtained by the Nordic Business Insider, Schelin explained why she chose the quote.

“The national shirt is an important and big symbol for us, and I think it’s cool that we can come together with other strong women and voices through this, that together we can show that everything is possible,” she said. “There is always a need to prove to young girls that it’s possible to succeed, that you can do what you want regardless, and that you shouldn’t feel restricted in any way and above all because of your sex.”

Some of the players including Eriksson, Schelin, and Dahlkvist were chosen for The Swedish Olympic team that defeated the U.S. Women’s National Team while finishing second in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

10 percent of the proceeds from the empowerment jerseys will go to the “Alla är olika – Olika är bra” (Everyone is different — different is good) project that works to promote young women and sports.