Some people may think football is just a game. But for Guro Reiten, it’s so much more than that.
As we sit down to preview the forthcoming season during our Netherlands training camp, it’s clear the Blues forward has a people-centred approach to the club at which she has flourished since joining from Norwegian side LSK Kvinner in 2019.
‘Chelsea means family,’ she says. ‘It's home.’
Reiten radiates calm and kindness as she speaks about the team. She cares very deeply about the people around her.
‘I've been here six years now, and it's just… I don't know how to describe it. It's a feeling inside.’
As if to illustrate the point, Erin Cuthbert walks over to where we are sitting. ‘My bestie!’ exclaims Reiten. ‘I've missed her so much this summer.
‘It’s weird because we spend every day together and then suddenly the season is over and we don't see each other for three or four months. It’s crazy. It's good to see the girls again. There’s a lot of new faces too; I’m excited to get to know them.’
Cuthbert then makes her exit, and Reiten goes on to discuss pre-season as a transitional period. Some players have moved on, others are yet to return, and there are plenty of new starters within the group.
Reiten has a calm energy. She speaks softly, listens intently, and radiates kindness when she speaks. These are invaluable qualities when welcoming new players into the group and easing them in.
‘I try to help just by being me, you know?’ she says. ‘By being friendly, showing I care, and helping them settle in. I feel like we're trying to create an environment where everyone is allowed to be themselves. That’s how we get the best out of each other.
‘These trips are always good for that. We have team-building exercises, but spending a whole week together really helps. We talk during dinner and hang out together instead of just training. It's nice.
‘I feel like you need to truly know people to get the best out of them, and that begins off the pitch. So that you can build trust for when the difficult moments come on the pitch. The more experienced players just want the best for everybody. This is our way of helping because we know each other so well already.’
Reiten lists winning every game on her list of targets for the coming season. At Chelsea, that goes without saying.
Behind the winning culture of this team is an ability to bounce back quickly from setbacks. Only Aggie Beever-Jones (13) scored more goals than Reiten (12) in all competitions last season, but it wasn’t all plain sailing for the Norway international.
‘I just want to try and be the best version of myself on and off the pitch and help the team,’ says Reiten. ‘To get better and achieve more. It requires a lot of work every single day, so I look within myself and do the best I can.
‘In football, we play so many games, so if we lose a game or have a bad performance, we know that it's just a couple of days until the next one, so our focus needs to shift towards the next one quite quickly.
‘Then you have kind of different setbacks, in your personal life or with injuries. That is harder. Last season, with my back, I knew I was going to be out for a while, but at the start, I didn't know how long it would be. You feel like you're missing a part of who you are when you're not on the pitch.
‘It helps being around good people. Luckily, I have a lot of them here as well as my friends and family.’
The Blues are preparing for our first competitive league match of the season; we face an enticing opening day Women’s Super League clash against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on 5 September.
Reiten relishes those big moments but also sees the value brought by each individual who comes out to support the team, whether that’s at the Bridge or Kingsmeadow.
‘I love to play in front of as many people as possible,' she continues. 'Our fans are unbelievable, no matter which stadium we play in. Kingsmeadow has been our home for a long time. People shouldn’t underestimate it because I love it there, and it's loud.
‘You can see the fan base is growing, which is great, and we want more of them to be able to come to our home games. Then we’ll need to play more games at Stamford Bridge. The fans who keep showing up are unbelievable. Hopefully, we can continue performing well for them and give them a lot of joy.
‘My favourite game at the Bridge was the comeback against Man City last season. It was unbelievable. It was such an intense game. And the roar from the crowd…wow.’
At the end of the conversation, Reiten explains the values that are important to her and the rules she lives by. It once again comes back to her love for others, which seems to pervade all else.
‘People who are true to themselves inspire me the most,’ says Reiten. 'I also believe that anything is possible. We've seen it a lot of times at Chelsea. Games can be won in the last minute or towards the end of a season. Everything can change. So, yeah, never give up.
‘The reason that I’m at this club is the people. My team-mates, the staff, and the fans. They are why I'm here.’
And people are lucky to have Guro Reiten around, too.