Swiss striker Alisha Lehmann is judged for wearing make-up while playing

Alisha Lehmann is an incredibly famous soccer player but she shocks people for a pretty wild reason.

Alisha Lehmann. Picture: Lars Baron/Getty Images

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Alisha Lehmann is a skilful striker for Switzerland but when she takes to the pitch tonight against Norway there will likely be chatter about more than her footwork.

Lehmann is the most followed player on social media at the Women’s World Cup and often cops criticism for taking to the field with a full face of make-up.

Her glossy sporting looks have become so scrutinised that she’s had to address the backlash, imploring the haters to watch her play.

“A lot of people only see the social side [of my life, via Instagram] and not actually how I play football,” she told The Times when asked about the negative feedback.

“About this, I’m sometimes disappointed, because I work hard every day. I train every day and I want to be the best player I can be. They don’t really know how I play. I’m always saying, ‘Watch a game please’ – and then they’re surprised.”

Alisha Lehmann is a force on the field. Picture: Lars Baron/Getty Images

She’s known for being a striker that doesn’t choke. Picture: Lars Baron/Getty Images

Lehmann also made it clear she does not plan to change or tone down her look to gain people’s respect.

“The message I want to give to people [is] that you can literally be however you want and still play football.

“Use make-up or do the things you like, do your nails, do your eyelashes, and still play football. It’s not a side you have to pick,” she told The Times.

The star forward revealed that she was encouraged to discard her make-up and opt for a more conservative look when she was younger, but she rallied against it.

“Why not?’ It’s normal, and it doesn’t hurt anyone if I do it,” she pointed out.

She also wears make-up while she plays. Picture: Lars Baron/Getty Images

She’s shamed for enjoying being glam. Picture: Instagram

When Lehmann runs onto the field, she isn’t fresh-faced. She’s made up.

She steps onto the pitch and her blush glistens in the light. She looks like a traditional influencer, glamour seems to seep from her pores, and it makes people mad and, unfortunately, it makes people question her ability as an athlete.

Her Instagram is littered with comments that say she wears too much make-up or that she should concentrate more on her sport than her eyeshadow pallet.

If she misses a shot on the field, people instantly pounce to jeer that she should spend less time getting ready and more time training.

She’s as loved as she is condemned.

She’s judged for wearing make-up. Picture: Instagram

She’s amassed a huge Instagram following. Picture: Instagram

Of course, Lehmann’s right – all people have to do is watch her play to realise her make-up isn’t impacting her performance.

The 24-year-old has had an enormous career.

She cemented herself as a soccer star in 2019 when she impressed West Ham after scoring nine goals in only 30 appearances in all competitions.

From there, she’s been with Everton and has ended up at Aston Villa. She’s just signed another deal with the Premier League club after scoring four goals in her first season with them.

She’s become a phenomenon and has amassed more than 13 million followers on Instagram. To put that in perspective, Australia’s soccer great Sam Kerr has 1.2 million followers and tennis legend Roger Federer has 12 million.

The Swiss player has become one of the few athletes in the world to cross over from being a sportswoman to a fully-fledged brand.

Yet people are more interested in talking about the fact that she wears fake lashes while she kicks the round ball.

She’s on the Swiss national team. Picture: Lars Baron/Getty Images

Why do we still judge women on how they look? Picture: Instagram

Lehmann’s story isn’t unique when you strip it back.

Remove the fancy sporting career and replace it with an ordinary woman trying to find her place in the world but happens to love make-up, and you’ll get the same results.

When you’re a woman, there is always this concern that people will judge you on how you dress or what make-up you apply to your face.

It dictates how you move in the world.

You don’t wear a short skirt even if you love it because you fear people will think you’re unprofessional, silly or see you as a sex object rather than a person.

You bring a baggy jumper to wear on the train to hide your short party dress because you don’t want the looks, attention or judgement.

The way you present yourself is less about what you like or find attractive and formed more from a fear of how you’re worried people will see you.

You only have to look at Lehmann’s career to see those fears aren’t baseless. She’s an incredible player, and she likes make-up. Who cares?

But everyone cares, it seems. Unfortunately, what women wear in 2023 still matters – just ask Alisha.

Originally published as Swiss striker Alisha Lehmann is judged for wearing make-up while playing