Switzerland striker Alisha Lehmann has hit the headlines after her first appearance at the Women’s World Cup.
Lehmann was first in action last week, coming on for the final 20 minutes as Switzerland beat the Philippines 2-0 in their first game of the group stage
The striker is the Women’s World Cup’s most followed player on Instagram and is attracting plenty of interest at the tournament.
But who is Lehmann and why is she so popular? Here is everything we know.
Who is Alisha Lehmann?
Alisha Lehmann, 24, was born in Tagertschi in Switzerland, where she grew up with her brother and sister, mum and dad.
It has been reported how Alisha’s love for football began at the age of five when she wanted to play with her brother and two cousins.
She now plays in the Women’s Premier League, but started her career with BSC YB Frauen in the Swiss League, first at the young girl’s academy before turning pro in 2016. She was handed her first cap for the Switzerland women’s national football team in October 2017.
For BSC YB Frauen she scored 25 goals and made 52 league appearances.
She then signed with West Ham United in August 2018 after it was said she had impressed West Ham manager Matt Beard with her performance during the 2018 UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship, hosted by Switzerland.
In April 2019, West Ham Lehmann’s contract was extended after she scored eight goals helping the club to reach the Women’s FA Cup final.
In January 2021, Lehmann was loaned to Everton until the end of the season, and when the season ended, she joined Aston Villa.
This is her first World Cup, but she first appeared in an international competition in March 2018 when she scored her first international goal against Finland in the 2018 Cyprus Women’s Cup.
She is considered to be a role model for the game and frequently speaks out about women’s rights. Lehmann is openly bisexual and has had relationships with other professional footballers, including Swiss national team-mate Ramona Bachmann, and was also in a relationship with Aston Villa men’s midfielder Douglas Luiz until 2022.
Who does Alisha Lehmann play for now?
Lehmann plays for both Switzerland at international level and Aston Villa in the Women’s Premier League.
She helped secure Switzerland’s spot in the Women’s World Cup with two goals during the qualifying stages and made 22 appearances for Aston Villa in the 2022/23 season, scoring five goals and bagging two assists.
Speaking to Sky Sports before the tournament began, she said: “When you play for your country, you remember where you came from. You have the badge of your country on your shirt, it means a lot.
“I actually can’t wait to play in the World Cup. I was waiting all my life to do this because it is the biggest thing when you are a kid. You dream about a big World Cup and playing in it.
“It is the biggest dream of every single footballer. It is amazing and I can’t wait to be on the field.”
Why is she so popular on social media?
Referred to as the “most beautiful footballer in the world”, the striker boasts 14 million followers on Instagram, and has hit headlines for not being afraid to wear make-up on the pitch.
She regularly posts about her life, from training days and kit launches to posing in tiny dresses in her everyday life.
Lehmann is an advocate for women’s rights and has even more followers than her fellow countryman and sporting great Roger Federer.
She reportedly earns as much as £241,314 for sponsored posts, according to The Sun.
When is she playing next?
Switzerland will be seeking to make a particular impression at this World Cup as the country prepares to host the next Euros in 2025.
On Friday, July 21, they won their first game against the Philippines 2-0 and drew 0-0 with Norwat in the second game on Tuesday, July 25.
They will next play on Sunday against New Zealand.
