Maria Thorisdottir interview: Come back to what you know – Former Norway defender’s sweet encore
She knows all too well by now that football affords precious few perfect endings, but Klepp’s recent headline arrival Maria Thorisdottir could not think of a better place to eventually call time. If this is indeed the swan song, just don’t ask for an acoustic performance.
A World Cup appearance is an everlasting accomplishment. How about competing at two such tournaments, plus a pair of European Championships, after you had decided your career was over?
Retiring as an 18-year-old in 2012 to pursue handball, Maria Thorisdottir’s U-turn two years later led all the way to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She is now officially a former Norway player.
February’s announcement followed the acceptance of her time being done, rubber-stamped by signing for hometown club Klepp, recently promoted to Norway’s second division. Having left Brighton & Hove Albion last summer, she had ended 2025 as a top-flight (Toppserien) Norwegian champion with Brann.
“I had options in all countries, like Mexico, U.S., Italy, France, Germany, England, Norway,” she explains. “I really wanted to stay in Brighton, and I was hoping that we could extend our contract, because I had prepared for staying there at least two more years, but then things don’t always go as you planned.”
“I felt like, ‘Shall I sign for another club in England? I’ve been with three clubs [including Chelsea and Manchester United], I’ve won everything I can win in England,’ and I thought maybe I should try something completely different.
“I spoke to a lot of people about all different leagues, and then I was like, ‘France sounds nice.’ I didn’t know much about Marseille [the club she initially joined in August 2025], but it was sunny, like 300 days with sun, which would be nice.
“But yeah, things happened, and I decided to go back home, because I wasn’t sure if I could sort a club out [and be eligible to play], so signing for Brann for the last four months of the season was amazing.”
Joining Klepp marks a return to where she started, and the club she left for Chelsea in September 2017. If a two-time WSL champion and seasoned international being available on a free transfer last year seemed exceptional value, get a load of what one passer-by gained as a result of her Brighton farewell.
“When I broke my leg [at Chelsea] and needed surgery, I knew I was going to have a lot of spare time lying down with my leg elevated; I figured, ‘Why not learn something new?’ I’ve always loved the guitar, and I’m a big Ed Sheeran fan, so I went on Amazon, found a guitar, and bought it.
“It turned out to be a much bigger challenge than I expected; it was fun when I finally got through a few songs but I didn’t have the patience to keep going. I usually pick things up quickly but the guitar was just too difficult.
“In the end, the guitar ended up serving more as a nice decoration in my apartment than anything else. When I moved all my stuff from Brighton, I had to give it away.
“I put it in the trash room in my apartment building and I wrote a letter saying, ‘If you want it, you can have it,’ and ten minutes later when I went down, it was gone, so someone had it! Hopefully someone is having a good time with it.”
She may have admitted defeat there – at least for now – but the 71-cap international has some history with bringing an endeavour back from the brink. Resuming football in 2014 had followed two years battling a patellar tendon injury as a handball player, while a foot problem sustained in 2015 hampered her progress for the next two.
The very real threat of retirement in that period did, however, lead to getting her beloved (and by now, famous in his own right) golden retriever, Theo, who momentarily interrupts her during this conversation.
“He can see a dog outside,” she laughs apologetically.
2️⃣ days to go! @MariaThorisdott 🏟️🎟️ pic.twitter.com/Hd4JeSlqp7
— Brighton & Hove Albion Women (@BHAFCWomen) October 17, 2024
Over three years in London with Chelsea brought four major trophies (including an FA Cup and League Cup), yet her capital venture was so nearly very different.
“I was so close to signing with Arsenal. I had visited them, and they were not happy when Chelsea came in and I changed my mind, but that’s football; I’m very happy and I don’t regret anything.”
She would announce herself in an introductory Chelsea interview as “maybe like a Viking,” in reference to an appetite for full-blooded challenges and tenacity for her team. It is an impression that would be left at each of her three English clubs, with the final of those seasons (2024/25) seeing her help Brighton to their highest WSL finish of 5th.
The 32-year-old’s solitary northern endeavour, though, lit another kind of fuse. There was no Manchester United Women at all during her first Chelsea season, but it was a Champions League-chasing Reds side that she left London for in January 2021, joining for Casey Stoney’s final months in charge.
Was the emotional attachment that she felt both from and towards her public the strongest in her career?
“Yeah, I think so. It was really good in Chelsea as well, but I think United is different; the passion and the fanbase is huge.
“I miss it, it was so nice.”
The 2021/22 season (Marc Skinner’s first as manager) would bring the lion’s share of her appearances for the club (27 of her 45). Although restricted to a reduced role in the following campaign, she did contribute to a WSL runners-up finish, as United took the title tussle with Chelsea to the final day.
A recurrence of the Lisfranc (midfoot) injury that had previously threatened her career led to her absence from the FA Cup final squad against her former team (a 1-0 loss), robbing her too of a place at that summer’s 2023 World Cup. Teammates Millie Turner, Martha Thomas, Sophie Baggaley, and compatriot Vilde Bøe Risa regularly spent hours with her, bringing puzzles to tackle together in what she remembers as “amazing” support.
Almost as uplifting as being serenaded by floods of fans.
“I had [a song from supporters] in Chelsea, and that was so cool, having my first song, and then coming to United, I got another song. It was cute, because even if I came back with Brighton, or with Brann [for this season’s Champions League qualifier], they kept singing it; it means a lot.
“One was, ‘We love Maria, we do,’ then they had another song.”
A Blondie-inspired prompt jogs her memory on that one.
“Yeah, ‘Ma-riii-aaa…you’ve gotta see her…the best centre-back…’ or ‘defender’ or something.”
How are you liking your first United shirt, @MariaThorisdott?! 😎🔴#MUWomen pic.twitter.com/zVFOfU2A7T
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) January 22, 2021
While the mutual affection has endured in the years since, the summer transfer window of 2023 was the end of her playing chapter at United.
“I didn’t want to leave. I had another year, and I remember I came back from an injury; I worked so hard the whole summer.
“I had to be there all summer to do my rehab, and I was so ready to come back, and at least be there for another year, but then Brighton showed interest, and I wouldn’t say [United were] pushing, but they said, ‘If you want to play consistently, it’s probably the best move.’ You come to a point where you’re like, ‘Maybe that’s the right thing to do,’ because when you’re not playing consistently and you’ve been out injured, you know it’s going to be hard to find a place, but I was willing to try, because I really enjoyed being in United and the group was amazing.
“At the same time, I felt like, ‘If I want to be with the national team, and for my best, playing-wise, it would be the better choice to leave.’ When I visited Brighton, you get a different feeling, and you’re like, ‘Okay, this is the right thing to do.’
“I’m very happy that I did, and I had two really good years in Brighton, but I’m very sad how my United time ended, because my last game was when I got injured.”
That 3-1 victory at then-Championship side Lewes in the FA Cup quarter-final included her crucial saving tackle to deny the hosts a surprise lead. The player who would replace her after the hour is the same name who springs to mind when she pictures the best of the atmosphere in her United days.
“Aoife Mannion, she was always dancing and singing, and I love that. She was really funny; she didn’t take herself very seriously.
“I loved how she didn’t give a fuck about anything. Katie Zelem was the DJ; she had a decent mix, but what I really loved was her chilled playlist that she used to play on the coach on the way home from away games.
“It was full of sing-along bangers, which is much more my vibe.”
62. min: MÅÅL! 0-3! Corner fra Reiten heades i mål av Maria Thorisdottir! #albnor pic.twitter.com/HoD54R3CtV
— Fotballandslaget (@nff_landslag) November 25, 2021
With Katie Chapman, Karen Carney, and Magdalena Eriksson the Chelsea captains across Maria’s Blues spell, the present-day skipper – whose upcoming retirement was announced last week – had already begun leading the way before the armband was hers.
“It was Millie Bright who took charge as the dressing-room DJ; I wasn’t the biggest fan, but I quickly realised that the music the English girls listened to just wasn’t my taste. It was quite funny, actually, because they were convinced that we Scandinavians only listened to ABBA, so Millie always made sure we had one ‘Mamma Mia’ song on before we went out for the warm-up.”
No such chance to limber up before a big performance was afforded when her official welcome into Emma Hayes’ squad arrived. She did, however, get the comforting presence of an international colleague to collaborate with – despite her having been a Chelsea player for the best part of a year by that point!
The defender/midfielder in question – who retired from the Norway side last August – is set to be an opponent this season when her Arna-Bjørnar team face Maria’s Klepp.
“When I joined Chelsea, Maren [Mjelde] and I had to perform a song. The plan was to do it at the hotel during our pre-season tour, but we got stuck in traffic, so we ended up performing it on the bus instead, which actually turned out to be really nice.
“We chose a Norwegian song called ‘Bare så du vett det’ [by Stavangerkameratene]; it was the perfect choice because no one understood a word, so even if we didn’t know all the lyrics, no one would ever know!”
There was ample familiarity to turn to again at Brighton. Goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley would follow from United a fortnight after her, while Norway pair, striker Elisabeth Terland (whom she had known as a Klepp teenager) and defender Guro Bergsvand, were already there. Her second season, meanwhile, brought the reunion with ex-Chelsea and England star Fran Kirby.
Thanks to their left-back – a recent England newcomer, now of London City Lionesses – Maria was at least guaranteed to enjoy a whole four minutes of each matchday playlist!
“In Brighton, the DJ role belonged to Poppy Pattinson; her music taste wasn’t exactly for me. Maybe I’m just too old for that style, I don’t know, but she always made sure we listened to a Swedish song called ‘Simsalabim’ (by Lucianoz) before kick-off; that alone made me happy.
“I love that song, and everyone enjoyed it, even though none of them understood a word of the lyrics.”
International football has remained her greatest honour, upon which her career and all its sacrifices have been geared towards, and yet, it also holds the deepest pain. Her fourth major tournament, EURO 2022, offered an abundance of optimism, but the 8-0 defeat to hosts England in the second fixture could ultimately not be recovered from, as they exited at the group stage after a 1-0 loss against Austria.
The personal hurt still remains at the most difficult game of her career: a team collapse under an avalanche of home intensity (after a somewhat inexplicable penalty decision against her for the opening England goal, it should be noted). Hers, though, is a decade-long national-team story, which also yielded a starting spot in Norway’s most positive campaign since the runners-up showing at EURO 2013.
It came six years later, the euphoric apex of which was the shootout success over Australia to reach the last eight. It didn’t do any harm having one of their country’s famed sopranos in their corner before each match.
“We used to listen to ‘Se ilden lyse’ by Sissel Kyrkjebø all the way up to the World Cup 2019 in France; it was the song we played right before we walked out for kick-off. When you hear it, it’s probably not what you’d expect to be our pre-match song, but it builds up in a really powerful way and gave us something special.
“If we won the game, we always used to listen to it afterwards as well; I really loved it. Maybe a bit weird, but then again, we Norwegians are a bit weird anyway.”
There is one other collective soundtrack from her club career – the sheer consistency of which she was not prepared for.
“I remember when I first came to England, I was very quiet, and we never complained, but I got very surprised how much English people complained about everything – all the time! They were really outgoing, they played the music very loud, they just did what they wanted to do, but we [in Norway] are more like, ‘Does everyone want to listen to it?’
“I quickly understood how the English culture was. It’s nice, but the complaining part, England is high on that list!
“I feel like maybe that’s the reason why [English] clubs now look for Scandinavian people, because we do what we get told to do, and we don’t question it; if that’s how it is, then we do it.”
.@MariaThorisdott 🙌🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/vyoNitp1xj
— Brighton & Hove Albion Women (@BHAFCWomen) February 18, 2024
Starting against Germany (a 1-1 draw in the group) at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, that tournament-debut duel with world-class attackers Anja Mittag, Célia Šašić and Alex Popp came only three months after her first cap. Norway made the last 16 (a 2-1 defeat to England), with the competition a high point before Maria’s aforementioned injury woes that year, also claiming the entirety of her 2016 Toppserien season with Klepp.
Her career has been characterised by getting knocked down and, well, getting back up again (that would make a catchy tune – has anyone recorded it yet?). Mentally, and as a physical aid on occasion, her chosen sounds are a source of strength.
“Music means a lot to me; I need music to get ready for games, and I use it all the time when I travel. It’s kind of funny and might seem very weird, because I get travel sick, and music really helps with that.
“Especially on planes, if there’s turbulence, I close my eyes and listen to calm music; I don’t get scared, but I do get sick. Music honestly saves me in those moments; I would really struggle without my headphones on a plane and on the bus.
“I love listening to Ed Sheeran, and I also really enjoy country music. I also love Kurt Nilsen, who’s an artist from back home in Norway; he’s the best when it comes to Christmas music.
“And speaking of that, I absolutely love Michael Bublé, too.”
As well as Kurt Nilsen’s Christmas concert, her most recent festive break included a reunion with ex-Chelsea teammates Jess Carter, Gemma Davison, Beth England, Maren Mjelde and Fran Kirby in England. Hanging around with the latter two in particular has been known to offer its unique perks.
“I went to a country festival at the O2 with Fran Kirby and Maren Mjelde, where loads of different country artists were performing – it was amazing! We even went backstage and met a few of them; Zac Brown and Mitchell Tenpenny were my favourites, and we were lucky enough to meet them both.
“I also went to an Ed Sheeran concert in Oslo; it was incredible! He’s such an amazing artist, I loved every second of it.”
If she ever covered a song herself – with any teammate(s) from her career – it would be a duet with Tina Turner’s daughter (quite literally, just not that Tina).
“I would definitely do it together with Millie Turner; she thinks she’s a good singer, and she always goes all in. To be fair, she’s actually not too bad, so I think it would definitely be a success.
“I’m pretty sure we’d have to do Miley Cyrus ‘Flowers’; she didn’t listen to any other songs for ages. In the dressing room, in the gym, in the car, at her house; it was non-stop.
“Everyone got so tired of it, except her.”
Born in Elverum before moving to Klepp as a young child, the one-time Stabæk handball player’s father, Thorir Hergeirsson, is a legend in that sporting world. His glittering 15-year tenure as Norwegian women’s national team coach included Olympic gold at London 2012 and Paris 2024, while Maria’s cousin, Janus Daði Smárason, represents the Icelandic men’s side and recently joined Barcelona.
Maria was the player in the Norway team with the Icelandic surname – naturally, her first senior cap was against her dad’s homeland.
“It’s nice to feel Icelandic. My dad spoke Icelandic to us from when we were born, but we always answered in Norwegian, so if there’s something I would change, I wish we could speak Icelandic back.”
She is two parts Nordic soul and a whole lot of hardiness. While some characteristics will likely always remain proudly embedded in their national identity, she does see a shift in certain traits of today’s Norwegian football prospects.
“They’re very confident; when we were young, we didn’t have that confidence. We were very humble, but I feel like the younger generation now, they want this, they want that – ‘We’re gonna do this, I’m gonna be the best.’
“I don’t know where they get it from.”
She agrees that social media and the messaging in many of its trends is likely that driving force.
“Sometimes I want to tell them to calm down,” she laughs. “You have to work hard to earn something.”
“You can’t just expect an Adidas contract, Nike contract, the best salary, you need to do something to get it first, because we worked really hard and we haven’t even got it! But I like that they’re confident – find the balance, I think.
“There is definitely a big difference from the generation now versus the older ones.”
Her return home has seen her take up an official mentorship role to some of Klepp’s emerging talents. After initially re-inheriting her childhood bedroom at her parents’ house, she recently moved into the apartment that she had rented out during her years abroad, undertaking a renovation project with partner Adrian (an electrician, handily).
“I’ve lived in bags for ten years, moved around, so for now, it’s just nice to get your own place, settle down, enjoy football. It’s a fantastic group of players in Klepp, and I’m so excited to help them hopefully reach some of their goals, but for me, this is the place where I kind of want to end my career, because it’s where it all started.”
She has been wearing more hats lately than Audrey Hepburn (or Jay Kay from Jamiroquai, if you prefer the music theme): helping out with Klepp’s website, social media and marketing, joining sponsorship meetings, while also delivering talks about her career. A photography passion that began at Manchester United (fuelled by the encouraging words of then-club photographer, Madeleine Penfold) has also continued.
As for the day job, her stoppage-time winner this past weekend gave Klepp their first victory of the new season; even more remarkable than the 5-4 result against Grei was the near-50-yard range from which her free-kick caught out the opposing goalkeeper. In a multi-sport life, her most recognised role still has its magic moments to offer.
When the time comes to say goodbye, though, she will relish the long-awaited freedom to jump into…whatever she damn well wants.
“The other day, we went ice skating, and I wasn’t allowed to do that [under the standard terms of a football contract]. I can’t wait to just go up in the mountain and go cross-country skiing or downhill skiing, ice skating; stuff that you don’t want to risk now, and you’re not even allowed to do.
“Riding horses, for example. Just random stuff that you don’t really want to do, but when you’re not allowed to do it, you want to do it!”
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