Linda Sällstrom – We are with you

Sometimes in sport a moment changes things. It could be a record-breaking victory, promotion for your team, or relegation. Yet there are seldom moments that unite fans of opposite teams.

Sadly, yesterday such a moment occurred.

Those who follow my blog will know that ,for the past two years, I have been an avid Linköping FC fan, without doubt I have fallen in love with this team since I moved to Sweden. I never thought that I would be a fan of women’s football, but this team has changed everything. They are part of my life as Chelsea men’s team have been since I was 4.

Women’s football is vastly different from men’s. Players don’t sign for five-year deals on hundreds of thousands of pounds a week. With the exception of two or three in a team, most have full time jobs and play purely for the love of the game.

Within Linköping, there has been one player that I’ve hardly seen play. Her name is Linda Sällström. When I first started to go to Linköping games I spoke to most of the fans and one name kept coming back, Linda.

The first year I began watching Linköping Linda was recovering from an ACL injury (Anterior cruciate ligament) injury. Basically, it’s the worst injury a football player could have. An ACL injury means season over. 7-8 months of rehab and training are required to recover; there simply is no miracle cure.

Fast-forward a year and Linda was back in training. I thought to myself “Great!” finally I could get to see this mysterious striker play for Linköping. Then the worst thing happened. The same knee, another ACL playing for her native country Finland.

As a result of this Linda missed 95% of the 2013 Damallsvnskan season. With the exception of a few late substitute appearances in the last three games Linda had not played in the domestic league since 2011. So imagine our pride when Linda was declared match fit and ready to play for Linköping again in 2014. After a combined time of 16 months out of the game, Linda was ready to go.

Last week Linda and the rest of Linköping flew out to Thailand to play in a friendly that had Linköping play the Thai national side. What was meant to be a simple friendly proved to become the unthinkable.

For the third season running, Linda again picked up an ACL injury. The shock and horror on my friends face (who supports Tyresö) and mine said it all. Nobody wanted to see this. Nobody wanted Linda to ever get injured again. Regardless of whom you support this was the safety and fitness of a player who has been through hell and back just to play the game she loves.

I don’t know of any football player, male or female that has had three ACL injuries in three years. Not in the history of the game. Maybe I can be proved wrong, but I would like to know. The closest I could find was a NFL player who had three in 6 years but returned to play last season.

That in itself is inspiration.

Linda has been here before; she has been through this tough journey twice. Yet nobody wants her to go through it again. Linda is a wonderful professional player that puts her heart into the game for both Linköping and Finland.

There is a lot of sympathy coming Linda’s way. Rightly so. We love her.

For Linda to come back from this, is going to take more than just recovery. It will take compassion, sympathy, hope and belief from all who love football. It would be the most incredible recovery I have ever seen. We all want Linda, who is just 25, to come back.

Nobody should be so unlucky in life. Nobody who loves the game should have to have three years out injured. Nobody.

Linda, we are with you. All the way. This is one recovery you will not do alone. All of Sweden, Finland and Damallsvenskan fans are behind you.

There is only one Linda Sällström. We hope to see you very soon!