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Alisha Lehmann, the striker for Leicester City, is considered one of the most well-known female footballers worldwide. With close to 16 million followers on Instagram and an additional 11.8 million on TikTok, she has achieved celebrity status beyond the football pitch. Last year, while playing in Italy, she even walked the Milan runways, and her attractive appearance often draws media attention. However, Lehmann is aware that this public image can create certain misconceptions, something she has been eager to address since moving from the Mediterranean lifestyle to face the challenges of a relegation battle in the East Midlands.
The attention surrounding her transfer in January highlighted not only her off-the-field persona but also raised questions about her contributions to Leicester City. Lehmann reflects on the difficulties she has faced, particularly when she was younger. She admits, “When I was younger, it affected me more because I didn’t know how to handle the situation… There were moments where I was really sad and I used to ask my mum if I could not play football anymore.” Despite these challenges, football remains her passion and priority. She insists on maintaining excellent rest routines and never compromises her preparation for training or matches. “People don’t know how much effort I actually put in when they say ‘Oh, she’s not a footballer’,” she explains. Now, she feels content with her life and surroundings, remaining unaffected by negative criticisms.
Lehmann, originally from Switzerland and 26 years old, has expressed her hopes to leverage her huge social media influence to promote women’s football and attract new fans. Her follower numbers far exceed those of many notable players; for example, England’s Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo have about 1.5 million and 1.1 million Instagram followers respectively, while former US star Alex Morgan has 9 million. Lehmann’s social media posts creatively blend her lifestyle with football-related content, appealing to a broad audience. Nevertheless, this visibility also makes her vulnerable to critics. She tells BBC Sport, “Sometimes, it’s frustrating… People don’t see the work that I put in. They think I just train and then go home to make TikToks – it’s not true.” Committed to professionalism, she often pushes herself further by reviewing her training data and doing extra work to improve. “Everything I do is focused on being the best player I can be,” she affirms.
Since moving to England’s Women’s Super League in 2018, Lehmann has played for West Ham, Everton, Aston Villa, and is now with Leicester City. Over six years, she has appeared in 108 matches, netting 19 goals and assisting 10 times. After struggling during spells in Italy with Juventus and Como, she decided to return to England, a country she considers her second home. “I signed a long-term deal in Como but after a month I realised I didn’t like it and wanted to return to England,” she shares. The quality of football and a sense of belonging make England her preferred destination.
Lehmann’s arrival at Leicester City in January was part of manager Rick Passmoor’s strategy to bring in experienced players capable of helping the young squad fight relegation. Other signings included Ashleigh Neville from Tottenham and Rachel Williams of Manchester United. Despite these efforts, Leicester remains at the bottom of the table, trailing by three points with five matches left following recent defeats and draws by rival clubs. Having scored just eight goals throughout the season, the team faces the threat of a relegation play-off against a strong WSL 2 side. Nevertheless, Passmoor praises Lehmann’s influence, calling her “a leader, a professional” who “works harder than anyone else in the building.” He emphasizes her winning mentality and states, “If we could mirror her mindset across the football club, we’d be in a very good place.” Lehmann herself remains optimistic about Leicester’s chances, acknowledging the difficulties but stating, “We’re all doing everything we can to be the best version of ourselves and stay in the WSL.
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