OTTAWA - Just before the Norwegian soccer team touched down in Canada in preparation for the Women's World Cup, Ada Hegerberg posted a picture to her Instagram account of the “essentials” she was bringing with her.

Neatly laid out on a bed were a handful of items – a pair of Puma trainers, harmonicas, headphones, a Panini sticker album, a J Cole vinyl record and three books. Of the latter, one was Menn i mørket, written by Norwegian Asbjørn Sunde. It's a true story – an account of Sunde’s sabotage of Nazi occupation of the country during World War II.

Days later, she took to her Instagram again and uploaded a video of her placing the J Cole album – 2014 Forest Hills Drive - on a record player and moving the needle to the song “No Role Modelz”. In the wider context of Hegerberg, who she is and what she's accomplished, the lyrics are more than a little ironic.

“No role models and I'm here right now

No role models to speak of

Searching through my memory, my memory

I couldn't find one”

Hegerberg is 19 and is certainly an inspirational figure. When in her company, she stares intently as you ask a question and keeps staring as she answers. Eye contact is important. She enjoys the connection. She enjoys the conversation. She's very different, and refreshingly so. And like the two examples show above, she's full of surprises.

I ask her lots of things when we meet. I ask her about her pastimes, what she enjoys away from soccer, trying to find a pattern between her personality on and off the field.

“I like books. I read a lot, to be honest. I have two Norwegian favorites but I read everything from biographies to novels,” she tells me. “I don't study at the moment because I finished school last year. And as my Mom and Dad always told me, I try to suck in as much knowledge as I can when I don't study.

“And I think it's a good way to not focus on football all the time, to get away from thinking about yourself, your team. You're thinking about yourself all the time. ‘Did I get enough sleep, did I train enough?’ So just to relax a bit, I read.”

OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 7: Ada Hegerberg #21 of Norway celebrates her second half goal against Thailand during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group B match between Norway and Thailand at Lansdowne Stadium on June 7, 2015 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images) More

It's fitting. A deeply intelligent and thoughtful player, Hegerberg, much like Norway, has slipped under the radar at this tournament. She was magnificent in the opener against Thailand, scoring once in a 4-0 win. In the clash with Germany, she was a crucial element in her side's response to falling behind. Her technical ability and cleverness ensured Norway easily switched strategies in attack with Hegerberg effortlessly pushing up front and creating endless headaches. Facing Cote d'Ivoire next, Hegerberg scored twice.

England are up next in the sudden-death group of 16 and will need to figure out a way of curbing Hegerberg's influence if they have any interest in making it to the quarter-finals. Because as much as the teenager is a dazzling offensive threat, she's a leader, too. And an imposing one.

Against Germany, Norway suffered through much of the first half. And it was Hegerberg who was giving the orders. She barked instructions at her teammates to keep things calm, to not get frenzied in the face of relentless German attacks. She pointed at where they should be playing the ball. And when she took control, as always, her first instinct was to try and make something happen.

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