Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg has said she wants to follow in the footsteps of US star Megan Rapinoe and Brazilian Marta Vieria Da Silva.

Rapinoe and Marta (known by her first name) are famous for voicing their opinions on matters such as equality, racism and LGBTQ+ issues. 

Hegerberg, who is currently recovering from an ACL injury, wants to emulate them in the future and told FIFA.com: "It [using your voice] must always stem from the game, so first I want to give my all on the pitch. 

"That said, it's almost impossible to be a footballer today without battling off the pitch too. There is so much to be done, and we want things to improve and for the right conditions to be in place. 

"The fact that many of the voices that carry weight are more experienced players at the end of their careers also shows that it is not always easy to be heard. There’s a lot of criticism and judgement both in society and sport. 

“Maybe when you're older, you have more experience, more self-confidence. It’s very important to have prominent figures who lead the way.”

She added that the break in football due to the coronavirus pandemic has challenged her mental health.

"With everything I've been through with my family, friends and everyone around me, I consider myself to be very privileged in life. Mental health is extremely important in this scenario. 

"With the injury, but also with COVID, I took a step back from football. I took the time to reflect on what I've been through in the last few years, but also on what I want to do in the future. 

“This situation is a big challenge for me, but at the same time, it’s allowing me to enter a new phase in my career to go on and achieve everything I still want to do.”