Alisha Lehmann defends her commitment to football amid social media scrutiny
Leicester City striker Alisha Lehmann has had enough of people suggesting she’s more interested in social media than football, reports BritPanorama.
The Swiss forward, who commands a following of nearly 16 million on Instagram and 11.8 million on TikTok, is arguably the most recognisable female footballer globally. However, this fame comes with frustrating assumptions about her commitment to the game.
“People don’t see the work that I put in,” she told BBC Sport. “They think I just train and then go home to make TikToks – it’s not true.” The 26-year-old is determined to prove the doubters wrong and insists her lifestyle revolves entirely around performing at her peak.
Lehmann is meticulous about her routines, taking an afternoon nap every day and carefully monitoring her diet and sleep patterns. “I would never do anything before training or a game that would affect how I play,” she explained. “I care so much about it.” She even reviews her performance data after sessions, putting in additional work if she feels she hasn’t hit her standards.
“I always give everything on the pitch and I want to be the best,” she said. “If I’ve not done my best when I check my data after training, I will do extra rounds to try to improve.” The criticism was particularly hard for Lehmann when she was younger, often making her doubt her desire to continue playing. “There were moments where I was really sad and I used to ask my mum if I could not play football anymore,” she admitted.
Now, however, the negativity does not affect her. “Now, I’m fine. I love my life and the people around me and I don’t get affected by it,” she stated. “People can think what they want but everything I do is focused on being the best player I can be.”
Lehmann’s Women’s Super League journey began back in 2018 when she joined West Ham after an impressive showing at the European Under-19 Championship, where she netted twice. Over six years in England, she has accumulated 108 appearances across spells at West Ham, Everton, and Aston Villa, scoring 19 goals and providing 10 assists. A move to Italy with Juventus and then Como didn’t work out, prompting her return to England in January, signing for Leicester.
“I love it here, the football is better and England feels like home to me,” she said. She’s expected to lead Leicester’s attack today against Aston Villa, with kick-off at 14:45 GMT on BBC.
As the grass turns to mud and the whistle blows, perhaps the real lesson lies in how a player can inspire while navigating the noise around them.
