Nadia Nadim - My story

It was not at all intended that the Dane of the Year 2017, soccer player Nadia Nadim, should be Danish. She was born into a wealthy family in Afghanistan, whose life was completely changed when her father, who was a general in the Afghan army, was abducted and brutally executed by the Taliban when Nadia was just nine years old. A few years later, Nadia's mother took the consequence of the bleak future prospects for her five daughters in total and fled the country. England was the destination, but after a rough escape the family ended up in Randers by chance. Nadia spent her first time in Denmark in an asylum center in North Jutland, where she soon showed extraordinary abilities in the local football club.

With her devil-may-care style and charming audacity, she has since played her way into the hearts of the Danes, and during the European Women's Football Championship in 2017, the playful star striker became a household name.

Today she plays professionally for Manchester City and is one of the biggest profiles in the Danish national team. She has also almost finished her medical studies at Aarhus University, and her determination, indomitability, raw strength and fighter mentality make her a role model for many - not least young women. My story