Danish Veteran Signs with Lady Reds
Football Federation SA is pleased to announce that Danish footballer Katrine Pedersen has signed with the Lady Reds for the 2014/15 Westfield W-League Season.
Pedersen, 37, will bring a wealth of experience to the Lady Reds side this season, having played for and captained the Danish Women’s National Football Team, for whom she’s accrued a national record of 210 caps.
Pedersen who has spent the majority of her football career outside of Denmark played for the English professional club Fulham Ladies during 2002-2003 before moving to Norway to join the Toppserien club IF Fløya based in Tromsø.
Pedersen played in her national team in the 2005 UEFA Women's Championship in North West England, followed by the 2006 season spent playing in Stockholm, Sweden for the Damallsvenskan club Djurgården/Älvsjö. In 2007 Pedersen moved back to Norway to play for Asker SK in Oslo and was captain of her home side at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007 in China.
Pedersen also played in earlier World Cup competitions in 1995 at 18 years of age and 1999, as well as UEFA Women's Championships in 1997, 2001 and 2009.
From 2009 to 2013 Pedersen played for Norwegian club Stabæk in the Toppserien League.
When Pedersen was named in National Coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller's squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2013 she was the most experienced active player in Europe, with 203 caps. In November 2013 she announced her pregnancy and retirement while accepting the Danish Player of the Year award.
Pedersen’s total of 210 international appearances is 81 more than her countryman, Peter Schmeichel. She was four games short of Birgit Prinz's record for European players.
The highly experienced central midfielder told that Lady Reds Captain and former team mate Kristy Moore was a large factor in coming to Australia to play.
“Ten years ago I visited Kristy (Moore) in her home town Adelaide and ever since I have had a dream of one day coming back and playing alongside her for Adelaide and now the opportunity is there.
“I know that the Lady Reds performed very well last season and I have followed the W-League a little over the last few years. Some of my Danish friends played there some years ago and they have told me that it was an awesome experience football wise and a great adventure.”
Pedersen has also played alongside Lady Red Lisa-Marie Woods and is looking forward to doing so again noting that she will bring experience, leadership and passion for the game to the side.
“I am very happy to get the opportunity to play for the Lady Reds. It is a great challenge and joy to come to another country, play for a new team, work together with new teammates and play new and for me unknown opponents every weekend. I am very much looking forward to joining the Lady Reds.”
Katrine Pedersen arrives in Adelaide late next week to resume training with the Lady Reds ahead of their Round 1 match in the Westfield W-League against Sydney FC in Sydney.
The Lady Reds first home match is Sunday 21 September at Adelaide Shores Football Centre, kick-off 2:30pm.
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