Football, Family, Finals

Rikke Laentver Sevecke, Denmark

My name is Rikke Læntver Sevecke. I just finished playing for Everton where I have been for the past three seasons. Preparations for the World Cup already started last year in training and games and now our national team has come together to get ready for the World Cup. 

Being from Denmark where there is not a professional setup for women’s football, there are a lot of players who seek a move abroad to develop and reach the highest level. That is what I did. It is an amazing journey and experience to live in other countries and learn about different cultures, but the hardest part is being away from family and friends, which makes me appreciate the time when I am home even more. 

The most important thing in the world for me is my family. Throughout my career I have had to make decisions that were not always fun in order to become a better footballer. When I was 16 years old, I moved out of my parents’ house in Falster and into a tiny apartment in Copenhagen to play football at a higher level. This made me grow up pretty fast but also shaped me and prepared me for the future and helped me to where I am today.

I spent some time studying in the USA at college and returned to Denmark where I played for about a year before I chose my first professional adventure abroad in France with FC Fleury. Of course, being in a new culture with a new language was challenging but I tried to embrace it and started learning the language. I was made captain of the team within the first month of arriving, which was an incredible honour in a new country. The best part was definitely living in Paris. With a spare bedroom there were no shortage of friends and family that wanted to visit!

I moved to Everton in order to challenge myself against some of the world’s best players in the WSL. That was during Covid times. The first season was incredible and within three months we were already playing in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, but sadly with no fans. It was a shame not to be able to play in front of a huge crowd and especially my loved ones - but the club did a great job of making it a special atmosphere. 

Since then it has been a bit of a rollercoaster but always with some amazing teammates and I have loved the friendships I have made through this journey. I like to experience different things, so I lived in three different apartments in three years in Liverpool and then Manchester. It was a great few years, but in the past year I have felt an ambition to explore somewhere new. Who knows where that might be!

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?

I showed my teammates from Everton and the Danish national team and also the family dog, Alma. Most of the photos were taken during our pre-camps with my teammates from the national team. Our preparation also included singing as a choir on our World Cup song made by Fraülein and having a FIFA referee meeting where a referee refreshed us on all the rules. Lene Christensen was giving me the red card!

It was fun doing the music video and song with Fraülein. Some players got a big picture of themselves and took them home (maybe they are going to hang it up in their room!).

Other photos with the national team are from a camp in Odense where we won 1-0 against Japan. In our group photo with the national team after our game I feel like you can see how our faces are really showing the support and happiness we give each other and that we are more than teammates.

You can also see my family on my birthday, when we went out eating brunch and enjoying the weekend that we had off in between camps. It is important to have quality time with your family or loved ones before leaving for the Wold Cup and being away for a while. 

The photos with Everton are from when we played at Goodison Park and also my last game for Everton which was away against Manchester City. It was a special moment and emotional game where a teammate and friend (Izzy Christensen) also played her last game before retiring from football. She has had an amazing career which was celebrated and recognised on this day. 

I wanted to show the friendships you create with your teammates and the amazing moments you share together as a team on and off the pitch. I think one of the keys to success is also how you function in a squad off the pitch. How well you get along is very important. 

What is one thing you always do to prepare before a game?

Before a game I always try to play it through my head. Imagining the actions I am going to have in the game, the tackles, headers, and passes. Then I try to eat as much as possible and drink a lot of fluids!

What are the opportunities and challenges for women’s footballers in Denmark and England? What changes have you seen in women’s football since you started playing?

I have seen a game growing and it is amazing to be a part of. England is one of the places in Europe where women’s football has grown the most and I think Denmark can learn a lot from the media coverage, fan exposure, and finances. We need more people to invest in women’s football and make the levels grow even higher in the different leagues. My hope for women’s football in Denmark is that someday we do not have to force our players abroad to develop but that they can stay home and play professionally. 

What role does football play in your community and Danish society?

Despite the struggles with the professional game, I think that girls’ sport is very well supported and widespread in Danish society, with football and handball being the two most popular sports. I had the opportunities to play both, inside and outside of school - and that was the case with all of my friends. We love the outdoors and real experiences in Denmark, so it is an important part of growing up.  

In terms of football, it has a huge role in Denmark. Everyone has their team that they support - usually one Danish and one foreign. Getting to play for a team with the history of Brøndby was great. The family team (or more my dad’s team) growing up was always Liverpool, so that has been a difficult moment for my dad, me joining Everton! But I succeeded in getting him in a blue shirt at Goodison! The power of football :)

What does football and representing your country mean to you? 

It means everything to represent my country. Every time we play a game and we sing the national anthem I get goosebumps, especially when we played in Parken for the first time. I must admit that a tear or two came that day as well. A historic moment for women’s football in Denmark, playing in front of over 20,000 home fans (Den Røde Mur) for the first time ever.

What are your personal ambitions for the future?

I want to develop even more and get a lot of experience and adventures along the way.  After three years at Everton, I decided that I wanted to live a new experience - football is unique because it allows you to live and play in places that you could not otherwise imagine living in - so I am keen to use my career to grab these opportunities. At the same time, I always try and remember to enjoy it all, because it does not last forever. 

What does the future look like for women's football? What do you want/expect to change after the 2023 Women’s World Cup?

I hope there will be a lot of focus on the Women’s World Cup this year. I expect different countries to take this opportunity of exposure to the women’s game and continue with growing it after the Women’s World Cup. We are seeing a lot of good efforts to make it grow but we need to keep going, we are not done.