Alisha Lehmann has made her feelings clear on the pay gap between male and female footballers

Alisha Lehmann has previously spoken out about the pay gap between male and female footballers.

Lehmann, 26, made headlines this week after the Switzerland women's team lost 7-1 against FC Luzern's under-15 boys team.

The Swiss are preparing for the Women's Euros, which takes place in the country and will kick off on July 2.

Reacting to the defeat, Swiss publication 20 Minuten said: "Scientifically proven, women have a very difficult time against men in football."

It is well documented that the pay gap between male and female footballers is extremely large.

Previously, it has been claimed by Give Me Sport that Spanish star Aitana Bonmati is the highest-paid female player in the world, taking home €1 million per year.

This is a far cry from the world's best-paid male footballer, with Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly earning €264 million in 2024.

Last year, Lehmann spoke about the pay gap between male and female players when discussing her then-relationship with Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz.

She told La Repubblica: "I'm not a star, I'm a normal person. I go home, I cook, I do the same thing as everyone else.

"After training, I often tell Douglas that it's unfair. We do the same job, but he earns a hundred thousand times more than me.

"The Women's World Cup was probably the fifth most-watched sporting event in the world. Crazy, it was followed more than the Super Bowl. So, if you think about it, it's obvious that we have to have the same pay, at least nationally.”

Alisha Lehmann in action for Switzerland. Image: Getty

Lehmann was then asked about people who underestimate the women's game. She replied: "I ask if they have ever seen a game. Probably not."

In a separate interview, Lehmann stated that men's and women's football cannot be compared.

She said: "You can't compare like anything between women's and men's football because it's just so different.

"How people look at us and how people look at them, it's just not the same."

Lehmann added: "Women's will always be like, I don't like, 'Oh, she plays football'. It's always second class. I don't think we will ever be first class."