The Olympique Lyonnais beat Barcelone 4-1 on May 18 to clinch their sixth Women's Champions League title in nine years.
ADVERTISEMENTLess than 24 hours after their Champions League triumph, Olympique Lyonnais' women's team were back on home soil to celebrate. Speaking at a ceremony held inside the city centre's Hotel de Ville, the mayor of Lyon Gérard Collomb and Club President Jean-Michel Aulas were quick to praise the players.
"This victory over Barcelona in the Champions League is due to a lot of hard work and the combination of such incredibly talented players,'' Aulas said.
It was Lyon’s sixth Champions League trophy in nine seasons, enhancing the squad’s reputation as the most dominant team in the women's sport. Ada Hegerberg, meanwhile, confirmed her status as the star of the women’s game with a blistering first-half hat-trick on the way to a 4-1 victory in her favourite competition.
''It always meant everything to me, since the first game I played in the Champions League. Everyone knows the importance of the Champions League so winning it a fourth time in a row is an adventure. I really want to enjoy it and stay hungry for the next to come," Hegerberg, a Ballon d'Or winner, said.
The 23-year-old’s strength, technique and quality final touch proved to be the difference between teams in this final, but the French side’s dominance was apparent in every area... a testament to investment and equality.
Coach Reynald Pedro said that "the club goes to a lot of effort for these girls, and its women’s section."
"The least we can do is bring back as many titles as possible."