“I feel in good shape” | Exclusive interview with Amanda Nildén | OneFootball

Having made an instant impact in a short space of time last season, Amanda Nildén is now ready to embark on her first full season in our colours.

The Sweden international originally joined us on a six-month loan spell back in January, 2024, from Juventus and became a key part of Robert Vilahamn’s backline as she started in 10 consecutive games in the WSL in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

After two-and-a-half years in Turin, where she made 62 appearances and won the Serie A title in 2022, the 26-year-old defender made her move permanent in the summer and feels a full pre-season at Hotspur Way has been beneficial ahead of the new campaign.

“Last season, when I first joined, I kind of got thrown straight into it so I just needed to adjust myself to the style and the team,” said Amanda.

“But, now with this pre-season, it feels like I’m a lot closer to the players, to Robert’s playing style and more comfortable with my role in the team, what I can do on the pitch with my qualities.

When I first came here, it felt like home straight away. It’s a great club with good ambitions, the way that Robert wants to play suits me, so it was quite clear for me to want to keep going here.”

The attack-minded defender also played a significant part in our historic run in the Women’s FA Cup as we reached the final of that competition for the first in our history and, although it wasn’t the result we wanted, Amanda is determined to use that as motivation for this season.

“That was a very good experience for the whole club, it was a situation that we have never been in before,” she explained.

“It was fun to be part of that and, when we got there, it showed how good we can be playing together so that has motivated us even more to come back this season and fight for those opportunities again, try to climb higher up the table because I believe we are good enough for that."

Feeling refreshed ahead of the new campaign

Although Amanda managed to reunite with friends and family in the off-season, using the time to recharge, she spent the early part of June and July at our Enfield training complex to build back fitness after suffering an injury in our penultimate game of last term.

Now, following a hugely positive pre-season with the Club, where we won our six friendlies with Amanda finding the back of the net twice in one of those warm-up matches, she feels in ‘very good shape’ for the new season.

“I finished last season with an injury which was very tough,” she added. “But I saw it as an opportunity to work hard over the summer and in pre-season, and now I feel in very good shape while the results, as a squad, have been positive.

“We had discussions that I needed to get fit and strong, but it was also important to get away and relax, to regain the energy to participate in the whole season. I think I found some good balance over the summer to recover from injury but also spend quality time with family and friends which was good.”

Swedish connections

As well as spending that time with her nearest and dearest over the summer break, Amanda also revealed a close family connection with fellow Sweden international and Spurs player on the men’s side in Lucas Bergvall.

Hailing from the same area back home, the pair have been close family friends for nearly a decade and, all these years later, they have embarked on a similar journey at the Club in that they both signed for us in January and are now starting their first full season in Lilywhite after Lucas joined up with the men’s first team squad in the summer.

“Lucas is best friends with my little brother, so I have seen him since he was young,” she said.

“They started in the same team together when they were like five or six years old and played alongside each other for 10 years, so I have seen Lucas grow up, which was fun, and we are from the same area.

“We have seen each other now and again since we have both been at Spurs, but our families know each other quite well so, when they come over, we also meet up.”

Be there for Liverpool!

We return to Brisbane Road on Sunday 6 October to face Liverpool in the Barclays Women's Super League and tickets are available to buy for supporters - secure your seat now!