DJ Martin Solveig's question left some in the mainly male audience looking visibly stunned. He later apologized to the Norwegian soccer star.
Controversy after DJ asks soccer champion: 'Do you twerk?'
A soccer star who was honored as the world's best female player on Monday was asked to twerk on stage just moments later.
Ada Hegerberg, who plays for the Norwegian national team and French club Lyon, was awarded the inaugural Women's Ballon d’Or at a ceremony in Paris.
The 23-year-old was presented the award by event co-host Martin Solveig, who asked if she would twerk, referring to the sexually provocative dance move popularized by singer Miley Cyrus.
Hegerberg, who helped her club win the Women’s Champions League last season, looked uncomfortable and responded, “No.”
Ada Hegerberg reacts after being asked to twerk by DJ Martin Solveig during the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris. Benoit Tessier / Reuters
The French DJ's question left some in the mainly male audience looking visibly stunned.
When Hegerberg turned to walk away, Solveig instead asked her to dance to Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon." The pair later did for a few seconds.
Solveig later apologized after being criticized by Twitter users.
“I’m a little amazed and astonished by what I’m reading on the internet. Of course I didn’t want to offend anyone,” he said in a video, adding that his English language skills could be partially to blame. “This was a joke, probably a bad one. And I want to apologize to the one I may have offended, sorry about that.”