Ada Hegerberg scores hat-trick on Norway return after five-year absence

At the age of 26, Ada Hegerberg has won five Women's Champions League titles, six French league titles, five French Cups and the Norwegian Women's Cup

Inaugural Women's Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg scored a hat-trick on her Norway return after five years away from international football.

The Lyon forward quit the national team in 2017 in protest at a perceived lack of respect for female players.

A change of president at the Norwegian Football Federation played a part in the 26-year-old reversing her decision.

And she returned in style, scoring three times in a 5-1 World Cup qualifying win over Kosovo.

Announcing her comeback, Hegerberg - the Women's Champions League's all-time leading scorer - said she did not regret the decision to step away from the national team but she was excited to "get a new story started".

And she did just that following her 1,719-day absence, scoring 21 minutes into her return, heading in Caroline Graham Hansen's cross.

She doubled Norway's lead two minutes later with a one-touch finish and completed her hat-trick on the hour mark with a low drive, to the delight of the 4,759 crowd in Sandefjord.

Frida Maanum and Ereleta Memeti were also on target for the hosts, who will hope Hegerberg's return can inspire them at this summer's European Championship in England.

The two-time Euros champions will face the hosts, Northern Ireland and Austria in Group A and Hegerberg will be looking to improve on an international scoring record that now stands at 41 goals in 67 appearances.