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Signe Gaupset Threatening To Be Breakout Star Of UEFA Women's Euro
Signe Gaupset Threatening To Be Breakout Star Of UEFA Women's Euro

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Signe Gaupset Threatening To Be Breakout Star Of UEFA Women's Euro

Norway's Signe Gaupset (left) celebrates with team-mate Elisabeth Terland after scoring their side's ... More first goal of the game during the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 Group A match at Stockhorn Arena in Thun, Switzerland. Picture date: Thursday July 10, 2025. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images) At 20 years of age, Signe Gauspet made UEFA Women's Euro history last week and hopes to propel Norway into their first major tournament semi-final tomorrow. The buccaneering forward started her first game against Iceland last Thursday and demonstrated her prodigious talents by scoring twice and providing two assists in Norway's 4-3 win. It was the first time that the former World, European and Olympic champions had manged to win all three of their group games at a UEFA Women's Euro tournament. The last of their international triumphs came in 2000, five years before Gaupset was born. Possessing a stellar forward line consisting of leading players from Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea and OL Lyonnes, living up to those past achievements has become a burden for the current generation of Norwegians. They had humiliatingly been eliminated from the group stage of the last two editions of the UEFA Women's Euro in 2017 and 2022. Despite failing to catch the eye during their opening two matches in Switzerland, Norway won both and secured top spot in Group A with a game to spare. This meant they could rest their first-choice attackers and Gaupset, who had already impressed with her direct running style in the second half against Finland, was given a rare opportunity to start. She grabbed her chance, becoming the youngest-ever player in the competition's history to score twice in a game. She scored and assisted with both right and left foot earning herself the Visa Player of the Match award for her performance. THUN, SWITZERLAND - JULY 10: Signe Gaupset of Norway poses for a photo with the VISA Player Of The ... More Match award after the team's victory and subsequent progression into the quarter-finals following the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Group A match between Norway and Iceland at Arena Thun on July 10, 2025 in Thun, Switzerland. (Photo by Alex Caparros - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) The UEFA Technical Observer Panel said "with two goals and two assists, she was influential in the match when it was in the balance. She was also high up in terms of key passes, penalty-box entries and among the leaders in ball carries, showing her influence on the game." Speaking to SheKicks magazine after the game, Gaupset admitted 'that's really good for me. Great moments to be with such good players that play in better leagues than I do. It's a good experience for me. They also help me a lot on the pitch today so, yeah, I'm really happy.' Gaupset had already come to international prominence as an 18-year-old with her performances for SK Brann in the UEFA Women's Champions League. Her ability to rise to the biggest occasion demonstrated by her last-minute equaliser against Olympique Lyonnais (now OL Lyonnes) in Bergen. BERGEN, NORWAY - DECEMBER 21: Players of Brann celebrate at full-time during the UEFA Women's ... More Champions League group stage match between SK Brann and Olympique Lyonnais at Asane Arena on December 21, 2023 in Bergen, Norway. (Photo by Alex Pantling - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) From the age of 10, Gaupset played the game obsessively before and after school. She also recorded everything she learned in a set of meticulous training diaries aimed at perfecting her trade which she still maintains as a professional. Her assistant coach at SK Brann Knut Slatleim once described Gaupset as possessing "a determination that is not quite normal." Like her national team captain, Ada Hegerberg, Gaupset hails from the Molde municipality. One of her most treasured possessions is a pair of Hegerberg's boots. Gaupset signed for IL Sandviken (now SK Brann) before her 16th birthday. Aged 17 she was a matchwinner in the Norwegian Cup final, scoring twice against Stabæk at the national Ullevaal stadium in Oslo. Englishman Martin Ho worked with Gaupset for two seasons. The new Tottenham Hotspur head coach told me 'as a player for the national team, you've seen the impact she's had. In the game against Iceland she scored two goals and two assists, which showed the level of her quality. When she got the opportunity, she performed at a really high level.' Norwegian head coach Gemma Grainger now has the dilemma of trying to find a place for her against Italy tomorrow in a forward line where Caroline Graham Hansen, Frida Maanum and Guro Reiten are established starters. Nonetheless, Grainger was delighted with Gaupset's performance against Iceland. "She takes her opportunities. Tonight it's so nice to see her step onto the pitch and express herself. I see her do that every week for her club; I've seen her do it in the Women's Champions League, and now I've seen her do it here." THUN, SWITZERLAND - JULY 10: Gemma Grainger, Head Coach of Norway, speaks to the media in a post ... More match press conference alongside Signe Gaupset of Norway after the team's victory and subsequent progression into the quarter-finals following the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Group A match between Norway and Iceland at Arena Thun on July 10, 2025 in Thun, Switzerland. (Photo by Chris Ricco - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) Ho believes the best is yet to come from Gaupset. "I think that's what Signe needs sometimes is the opportunity to go and perform at national level and show what she's capable of. When she got the chance the other day, she took it with both hands. She's a wonderful talent, as everyone can see. She's high quality on the pitch, and plays with no fear, lots of courage, she's very brave. More importantly, she has a difference to her game that not a lot of people have, that maverick approach where she can pop up and do something in an instant, even when she's not in the game." Gaupset is one of only five members of the Norwegian squad who play in their domestic league. Her performances in Switzerland will no doubt alert the leading clubs in Europe to her talents. Ho said "the national team have a wonderful player on their hands. Hopefully she gets an opportunity to play in the quarter final, and she can go and show everyone more of what she's about.'

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