NF Academy has been part of her journey in the last years, but Cille started before that. At six years old, she starts playing football, and with seven, she joined the Stord Fotball boys team. Strod Fotball was during the last eight years her main stage and home.

Cille is well known for her dribbling and passing skills, a midfielder with a high technique in building offensive transitions and finishing. Her talent was easily identified in her first NF Academy local event, and that was when started this close work relation and friendship between NF Academy and Cille.

– For me, there are four major points for Cille’s success, says the NF Academy Director João Plantier.

1 – She started training very soon with boys, which made her take fast decisions on the pitch.

2 – The way she faces challenges is impressive. She is not afraid to participate in activities where she doesn’t know anyone like her NF Academy, Sporting CP, and Atlético Madrid experiences.

3 – Parental support is for sure one of the keys. The way they encourage her without pressuring is a true example.

4 – Her focus on complementary training to improve weaknesses and humility to know that there is much more to be achieved.

When did you note that football could be a professional option?

– The first time I thought that I could become a professional football player if I continued to work hard was when I was 12 years old and visited the Sporting CP Academy in Lisbon, Portugal.

You attended several NF programs! Tournaments, Team Trainings, Open camps… Which one was the most memorable?

– I think the most memorable experience I have had through the NF Academy must have been when I won the “player of the camp” award, where the reward was a training week at the Sporting Academy. This training week also led to an invitation from the Sporting CP´s Girls16 team to participate in the IberCup 2019, which took place in Lisbon. I was only 13 years old but got to play all the matches and contributed with some goals along the way.

– In the same year, NF also arranged a training week at the Atletico Madrid Academy in Spain, which was also a fantastic experience for me.

Check here the upcoming NF Academy events.

Which was the most significant contribution from NF Academy in your sports journey until now?

– An essential NF contribution in my sports journey was probably the “player of the camp” award itself. After all, this was the thing that opened the doors for me to train and play with Sporting CP and the Atletico Madrid Academy.

How is the relation between you and NF Academy? Where they close when you were in Lisbon and Madrid?

– I always had an excellent follow-up from the NF directors João Plantier and Gonçalo Nunes during these trips. Especially João Plantier, who even traveled from Lisbon to Madrid just to be there when I was training with Atletico, Gonçalo Nunes let me train with Estoril´s women´s team on my first trip to Lisbon.

READ ALSO: Talented Nordic girls will be training with Sporting CP in Portugal

You reached one giant step, a professional contract. Which is the next one?

– I am still very young, and I know I still have a lot to learn before becoming a Norwegian Toppserie player who plays every game for the club. But I have now been so lucky to sign a 2,5 years contract with Avaldsnes. It´s a great club with many good coaches and football players, also international players, so I think I am in a perfect place to develop.

– Anyway, my first goal, for now, will be to put all my effort into working hard so that I may earn a regular spot in the team before the contract period is over. If I can manage that, then we will see what happens from there.

Your biggest football dream?

– Play for the Norwegian national team and FC Barcelona.

NF Academy wants to congratulate Cille Nilsen for this first big achievement!