Captain Kim Little says Arsenal’s Ladies’s Champions League triumph is the “greatest second” of her profession, whereas Gunners supervisor Renee Slegers believes that is simply the beginning for the membership.
Substitute Stina Blackstenius scored the one purpose as Arsenalin the Lisbon closing.
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It’s a second title for the one English girls’s aspect to be champions of Europe, including to their 2007 victory.
“It felt like this was our 12 months,” mentioned Little. “It is really particular, profitable the final word trophy.
“It is undoubtedly one of the best second of my profession. I have been on the membership a very long time – I signed a 12 months after they gained in 2007 so to nonetheless be on the membership and see how a lot it has performed to progress the ladies’s recreation, it’s totally particular.”
This was a trophy the Gunners couldn’t have anticipated to win once they started the competitors within the first qualifying spherical again in September.
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The ultimate was their fifteenth match of a rollercoaster marketing campaign.
A humiliating 5-2 loss to Bayern Munich in October was then-manager Jonas Eidevall’s final European recreation in cost with Slegers transferring up from assistant coach, firstly as interim supervisor earlier than being awarded the job on a full-time foundation in January.
“It has been a improbable time,” she mentioned. “There are such a lot of issues which have occurred and so many exhausting instances we have gone via collectively. We have at all times fought again and the idea was rising each single day.
“In fact we will mirror and take it in. We have achieved one thing monumental however there’s much more on this crew. That is nearly the scary half.”
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From mascot in 2007 to lifting the trophy in 2025
Little and England captain Leah Williamson have been two of the Gunners greatest gamers in Portugal they usually collectively lifted the trophy amid the celebrations on the pitch.
For Williamson, who held the Ladies’s Euros trophy aloft three years in the past following England’s 2-1 win over Germany at Wembley, it was a particular second on the membership she has at all times supported.
When Arsenal gained the title in 2007, a 10-year-old Williamson had been one of many mascots for the second leg match towards Swedish aspect Umea.
“Eighteen years is a very long time to attend for one thing,” mentioned the now 28-year-old. “I’ve gained each home trophy with Arsenal now so on a private degree I am happy with that.
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“We turned as much as attempt to do a job and we did it and we’re taking the trophy house. I’ve a rule not to have a look at the scoreboard and I broke it 3 times.”
Barcelona, who gained the competitors in every of the previous two seasons, put Arsenal beneath stress for giant elements of the ultimate.
Nevertheless, the 67th-minute introduction of Beth Mead and Blackstenius proved essential because the England ahead arrange the Swede to attain the profitable purpose.
“A whole lot of joyful tears,” mentioned an emotional Mead, who celebrated along with her household. “I am happy with having the ability to do what we did and see my dad on the finish.
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“It has been a tough few years, clearly lacking my mum [who passed away in January 2023] and it is the primary time I’ve had an enormous closing with out her being right here. She very a lot was watching over me.”
Leah Williamson (sixth from the left) was a 10-year-old mascot when Arsenal gained the title in 2007 [Getty Images]
‘Essentially the most unimaginable story’
Arsenal gamers have a good time profitable the Ladies’s Champions League [Getty Images]
Former Gunners defender Jen Beattie mentioned: “Arsenal got here into this as full underdogs. You are speaking a few crew that has dominated, gained the previous two Champions Leagues, stormed to the ultimate, unimaginable mixture scores towards Bayern Munich and Chelsea – who dominated the WSL this 12 months.
“To win the Champions League, you are marking your house in historical past. They are going to turn into legends.”
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Former England midfielder Izzy Christiansen, talking on BBC Radio 5 Dwell, mentioned: “I truthfully couldn’t be happier for Arsenal. That is an outrageous achievement.
“Towards the European champions, to execute the gameplan to the right diploma of measurement. The processes have been there and the standard was there. They produced the unthinkable, they destroyed Barcelona.
“Arsenal defended like true warriors and it’s the most unimaginable story. They deserve each ounce of this. No person will imagine the affect it will have.”
Karen Carney was a part of the Arsenal aspect that gained the 2007 title and felt the Gunners’ newest achievement would encourage future generations.
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“Perhaps this group has impressed the following little lady to suppose she will go and win a Champions League,” she mentioned.
“I hold going again to Leah Williamson being a ballgirl. Who’s going to be that subsequent little lady to raise it? It is completely good.”
‘In fact they want a trophy parade’
Arsenal’s triumph shall be celebrated with an occasion at Armoury Sq. Monday.
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, talking on TNT Sports activities, mentioned the achievement had “saved the membership” after the “embarrassment” of the boys’s aspect failing to win a trophy in 2024-25.
He added: “We have got one thing to have a good time. In fact they want a parade.
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“No person gave them an opportunity. Even I used to be saying it may be powerful.
“They [Barcelona] common 4 objectives a recreation.
“We wanted to attain objectives to verify we beat them, in the long run it was just one. Everybody wrote them off. They deserve all the pieces they’re getting, all of the accolades.
“It is a magnificent achievement. Look how far it is come. I bear in mind when the Champions League was at Boreham Wooden. Look the place we’re and Arsenal profitable it, it is wonderful.”
