Biography
Who is Nadia Nadim?
Early life and arrival in Denmark
Born in Herat, Afghanistan, Nadia Nadim lived there during her early childhood. Her father served as a general in the Afghan National Army. He was executed by the Taliban when she was nine. Two years later, Nadia, her mother, and four sisters left the country as refugees. They eventually arrived in Denmark.
While living in a refugee camp, she began receiving training in football. After settling in the region, she joined the local club GUG in Aalborg at age twelve. Her early senior career included stints at B52 Aalborg and Team Viborg between 2005 and 2006.
Professional club career
Nadia played for IK Skovbakken from 2006 until 2012. She then joined Fortuna Hjørring, making her Champions League debut in September 2012. She scored two goals in a match against Glasgow City. In 2014, she signed with the NWSL club Sky Blue FC. She scored seven goals in six games. In 2016, she moved to Portland Thorns FC. That year, she was the team's top scorer with nine goals as they won the NWSL Shield. In 2017, she helped Portland win the NWSL Championship.
She later moved to Europe to play for Manchester City in 2018. During her time there, she scored the winning goal against Chelsea in the Continental Tyres Cup semi-final. Following her time in England, she signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. She helped the team and later served as vice-captain. In 2021, she joined Racing Louisville FC. She left the club in December 2023. In January 2024, she joined AC Milan. Later, she went on loan to Hammarby IF. By August 2025, she signed a one-year contract with HB Køge. During her first season with the club, she won the Danish Cup and the Danish Championship, finishing as the league's top scorer.
International football achievements
Nadia became a member of the Denmark national team after receiving Danish citizenship in 2008. FIFA allowed her to play due to an exception made by their legal department. She debuted in the 2009 Algarve Cup against the United States. She was the first naturalized Dane to play for a senior national football team. She played in the UEFA European Championship in 2009 and 2013. During the 2017 tournament, she scored a goal in the final against the Netherlands.
In October 2020, she scored two goals against Italy to help Denmark qualify for the 2022 European Championship. She reached her 100th international match in June 2022 against Brazil. She announced her retirement from international play in 2025.
Medical training and personal life
Outside of sports, Nadia pursued a career in medicine. She attended Aarhus University remotely while playing football. She qualified as a doctor in January 2022, with the goal of working as a reconstructive surgeon. She is Muslim and speaks eight languages. Her aunt is the Afghan singer Aryana Sayeed. Her mother, Hamida Nadim, died in a motor vehicle accident in 2022.
She faced controversy in 2021 regarding her comments about Qatar and her work as an ambassador. She denied receiving payment for her involvement, though reports confirmed she was paid. The Danish Refugee Council removed her from her role as a goodwill ambassador. In 2018, Forbes ranked her 20th on their list of most powerful women in sports. In 2024, Corriere della Sera included her in their list of women of the year.
Birthday and age
Nadia Nadim was born on January 2, 1988, which makes Nadia 38 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Nadia shares the date with 52 other famous people.
Explore more
