The path of a young refugee is a daunting one, one that is inherently more challenging than that of a natural-born native. Today, we’d like to honour H&M Move brand mover Nadia Nadim‘s inspirational journey: From a young refugee to the international football star we know and love.
Via @nadi9nadim on Instagram
After being uprooted from her home in Afghanistan as the Taliban rose to power, Nadia Nadim found herself embarking on an adventure characterized by uncertainty and unfamiliarity. But when she arrived to Denmark as a young refugee, her ambition and optimism allowed her to see, beyond the fear of what was, the possibilities of what could be.
Via @nadi9nadim on Instagram
With unwavering dedication, Nadia Nadim’s status shifted from refugee to international football superstar, having played over 100 matches for the Danish national team. The athlete is additionally a Doctor of Medicine, and she speaks nine languages.
Today, Nadia plays professional football for Racing Louisville FC in the United States National Women’s Soccer League. She has also represented Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, where she won the league titles.
They say diamonds are formed under pressure, and Nadia certainly shines bright alongside Zlatan Ibrahimović and Jaquel Knight in the H&M Move campaign. In her capacity as Brand Mover for H&M Move, Nadia Nadim seeks to inspire the next generation of talent to follow in her footsteps. Let’s move!
Via @hm_move on Instagram
Take a look at Cosmo ME’s exclusive interview with Nadia Nadim, Brand Mover for H&M Move…
Cosmo ME: In a profession as demanding as medicine, how did you get started on your fitness journey?
Nadia Nadim: I was born in Afghanistan and raised there until I was around 10 years old, when I had to flee the country due to war. I guess it was fate that I somehow ended up in a refugee camp in Denmark, where I had my first encounter with sports and with football in particular. That’s the first time I saw girls playing football, and I fell in love. I got truly obsessed with the game – and since then, everything changed for me. Until I was 10, I didn’t really know what was happening around me, I was just following. Life was passing me by, and I was just trying to survive – but from there, I started to find my own identity. And that was mostly because of football.
Cosmo ME: It’s almost unheard of for an individual to have a successful career in both medicine and football. What made you take a leap into professional football, and how have sports enriched your practice as a doctor?
Nadia Nadim: I didn’t know that becoming a professional football player was even an option, I just knew that it made me happy and made me feel free. Of course, I used to watch men’s football and dream of the stadiums and how it must feel to walk out with the fans going crazy. But I could never have imagined being a full-time professional and playing for some of the biggest clubs around the world. Every time I’m on the field, I forget everything around me and I feel like a kid again – just like I did the first time. It’s cliché to say, but it’s true: when there’s a will there’s a way. I really wanted to do both professional football and get a medical degree, so I made it happen. I wanted to become a doctor because I felt helping people and giving back was important. Studying medicine has also helped me a lot in my football career and given me the knowledge to understand my injuries and how to deal with them. They go well together, but I’m also super excited to one day be fully committed to being a doctor and be in places where I can have a bigger impact or even save peoples’ lives… To be that person who can actually do something to help.
Cosmo ME: As a doctor, you’ve dedicated your life to serving others and upholding medical ethics. You’ve also expressed that motivating and supporting others is important to you. What are some of the best ways to motivate another person on their fitness journey?
Nadia Nadim: I truly hope that my drive has shown some people that anything is possible. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you’ve been through. It just takes hard work and a belief in yourself and dreams do come true.
Cosmo ME: Did being active always come naturally to you? What advice would you give to individuals who want to incorporate fitness into their lifestyle?
Nadia Nadim: Take mini steps and try to push your comfort zone. Get a little further away each day. At a certain point you’ll be outside that zone where you felt you didn’t have the confidence. I can’t say ‘just have the confidence!’ because that’s not how confidence works. You build it up. But we all have something that we are good at, so it’s just about finding that thing. And also, about having fun, discovering things you’re not so good at along the way!
Cosmo ME: When it comes to achieving your fitness goals, how important is a strong mentality and unwavering willpower? Could you share a personal or professional milestone that required you to push yourself to the limit of your strength? Did you feel fulfilled afterwards?
Nadia Nadim: My motivation comes from looking back at what I’ve achieved so far. Now I know that the sky’s the limit! If this is what I’ve already done, imagine what I could still to. And there’s so much work to do.
Cosmo ME: Do you find that working out in style/fashionably has helped you achieve better fitness results?
Nadia Nadim: I spend a lot of my time in the gym and doing it in a more fashionable style certainly makes it more fun!
Cosmo ME: Could you describe some of the most fashionable pieces from H&M’s MOVE collection that will boost a woman’s confidence while working out?
Nadia Nadim: The H&M Move’s women’s collection have some amazing pieces. It highlights the feminine shapes and makes you feel powerful and comfortable while moving. I really like wearing the black DryMove™ tights with a nice silver print. They are great for working out in the gym or for running.
Cosmo ME: You’ve shared that, in your experience, life itself can become a barrier to movement. What are some life obstacles that you’ve had to overcome in order to move more freely?
Nadia Nadim: Access to sport and education were weapons that gave me the chance to fight for a better life. But, of course, I could never have done that without support – which is why I’ve made it my life’s mission to remove barriers to movement for young girls, whatever their background, across the world!
Cosmo ME: Do you believe that, over the past decade, female representation in the Arab sports industry has increased? How has H&M’s MOVE campaign been instrumental to this gender balance?
Nadia Nadim: The attitude around women in sport has changed a lot globally in recent years – for the better. Women’s sports and football are finally getting the respect they deserve. Of course, we’re not totally there yet but we’re well on the way to equality and being seen for what you do rather than who you are. Together with H&M Move we want to democratise sports and to get everybody moving. That is something that has always been a goal of mine, ever since I was a 10-year-old girl dreaming of playing football. It’s beautiful to me because sports represent inclusion. Movement and sports have the power to change the world around you.
Cosmo ME: In professions as active and systematic as medicine and professional football, how do manage to preserve your individual style?
Nadia Nadim: Having my individual style has always been important for me. I have never been someone who jumped on a trend because everyone else would do it. And I wouldn’t ever shy away off wearing something because people around didn’t approve of it. The reason is very simple. What I wear is a reflection of who I am. And I’m very confident in my own skin and don’t need the validation or acceptance of my surroundings. Also, I don’t feel I need to have a one style. That’s why I’m grateful to work with H&M Move because the clothing allows me to express myself in different way, but I still maintain myself when being active.
Congratulations to Nadia on all the success she’s achieved thus far. We’re positive that she will continue to inspire this next generation of athletes, doctors, and women at large.