Leah Williamson ‘lived a dream' after lifting Champions League with Arsenal
The newly-crowned champions celebrated their 1-0 final triumph over Barcelona in front of thousands in Armoury Square, outside the Emirates Stadium in London, in a ceremony hosted by Alex Scott – the former Gunner whose goal made the difference when they lifted the same trophy in 2007.
That remained the only time an English women's side had won the Champions League until Saturday night in Portugal, where the Spanish holders could not find a reply to Stina Blackstenius' 74th-minute strike.
'I had some tears on the plane the day before, the hotel, just some messages and people talking to me,' Williamson told reporters.
Just two childhood Gooners living the dream 🥰 pic.twitter.com/yXshi1SzmR
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) May 26, 2025
'I always said, 'trophy for England over the trophy for Arsenal' because I just think you don't pick your country, it's a bit more of a fate thing, a bit more luck needs to be involved.
'But I feel ashamed now because that feeling yesterday was, I think right now, the happiest I've ever been in my whole entire life and I hope that other Arsenal fans are because I know I lived a dream, I never take it for granted.'
Williamson, who captained England to their first major silverware at the 2022 home Euros, joined Arsenal's academy aged nine, and has spent her entire senior career at the club after she was promoted to the first team in 2014.
She added: 'I think professionally a lot of people would say that you should move (clubs) and you should test yourself in different environments and I've probably made it harder for myself staying in the same place and trying to get more out of myself every year. It's so hard.
'The environment doesn't necessarily change and with the same faces, same people, I'm comfortable in that sense.
Arsenal's players celebrate their Champions League success (Adam Davy/PA)
'And then you get a day like Saturday and this is why, because winning a Champions League final for Arsenal, it just wouldn't mean the same anywhere else as it would here. My dreams came true.'
Fans began to gather early on Monday ahead of a 10:30 start to the festivities, which included a trophy lift, speeches from a selection of players and head coach Renee Slegers, a DJ, a dancing Gunnersaurus and even a cameo by Arsenal 'club dog' Win, the chocolate Labrador brought in by men's boss Mikel Arteta to help develop the 'family atmosphere' at the club.
Dutchwoman Slegers, who spent a year in the club's youth team between 2006 and 2007 before becoming assistant coach in 2023, was appointed on a permanent basis in January after serving as interim head coach following Jonas Eidevall's departure in October.
Arsenal and Australia defender Steph Catley said: 'I think she's just brought belief to every individual and to us as a squad. I think if you look at our squad, we're so, so talented, we've got everything there we need to beat anyone in the world.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
England ‘not good enough' but won't panic
Three days on from an underwhelming 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Andorra, Thomas Tuchel's side were again booed off by fans. Goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diarra and Cheikh Sabaly inflicted England's first defeat to an African nation following Kane's early opener at the City Ground in Nottingham. 'Again, not really good enough,' Kane told ITV Sport. 'We had again moments; just with and without the ball we aren't quite clicking, aren't quite finding the right passes, finding the right tempo. 'One v one, we're losing duels, we're losing just that aggressive nature that we've had and we got punished, we're playing against a good side. We just weren't good enough today. 'We're not going to panic. But for sure we know we need to do better.' Defeat for the #ThreeLions against Senegal in Nottingham. — England (@England) June 10, 2025 England thought they had levelled late on through Jude Bellingham but his effort was ruled out on review for an adjudged handball by Levi Colwill. 'If you know the rules, it's not handball,' said Kane. 'It obviously puts us back in the game at 2-2 and maybe we go on and win the game so it is quite a big moment. 'But that's something to discuss with them (the match officials) afterwards.' Defeat for England was a first in four matches since the appointment of manager Tuchel. The German coach, who was unhappy with the decision of French referee Stephanie Frappart to disallow Bellingham's effort, said: 'Of course, a disappointing result, not sure if we did not maybe deserve a little bit more result-wise. 'But I felt again we were a little bit frozen, not active enough for a long time of the match. '(We) defended quite well for a long period in the first half, then our best period came when we were 2-1 down. 'We conceded the first two goals, very easy goals that we need to defend better. 'The reaction was good after we were down. I felt suddenly we were more active, more free, more fluid, more aggressive towards the opponent's goal. 'We had big chances to equalise, we 'equalised' (Bellingham's disallowed effort) and couldn't get the last one.'
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
England booed off after shock defeat to Senegal
Three days after being jeered following a poor World Cup qualification win against minnows Andorra, Tuesday's alarming display raised further questions a year out from their bid for glory in North America. Harry Kane had got England off to a fine start against Senegal by continuing his run of scoring in every game under Tuchel, who was critical of his side's efforts in Barcelona and spoke of his desire for the team to play with a smile. But happiness was in short supply in Nottingham, where Anthony Gordon wasted a glorious chance shortly before Ismaila Sarr capitalised on poor defending by debutant Trevoh Chalobah and a sleeping Kyle Walker. Senegal, ranked 19th in the world, were always going to be Tuchel's toughest test since taking charge and Habib Diarra went on to fire through the legs of Dean Henderson, who had made some important saves on his second start. Substitute Jude Bellingham thought he had levelled late on, only for Levi Colwill to be adjudged to have handled upon VAR review, and second-half introduction Cheikh Sabaly added another for the visitors in stoppage time. This was England's first ever defeat to an African side, having gone unbeaten in the previous 21 encounters, and looked possible from the outset with Idrissa Gueye and Nicolas Jackson denied early on by Henderson. But Tuchel's side struck the first blow with just seven minutes on the clock in Nottingham. Eberechi Eze did well to win the ball, with Conor Gallagher helping it wide for Gordon to get away a shot that former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy could only spill into the path of Kane to turn in from six yards. Senegal responded well to that setback, with Henderson denying Diarra from distance before stopping Crystal Palace team-mate Sarr's powerful header. Gordon should have settled England's nerves in the 28th minute by applying the finish Walker's low cross merited, with that glaring miss under pressure at the far post proving costly. Henderson stopped Gueye but poor defending allowed Senegal to level in the 40th minute. Chalobah failed to stop Jackson hooking over a cross that Sarr beat a switched-off Walker to turn home. The rusty-looking right-back was booked for a foul soon after his role in the first goal conceded under Tuchel. England were breathing a sigh of relief five minutes later when Diarra lashed over, with Nottingham Forest favourite Morgan Gibbs-White's introduction bringing a huge cheer. Kane was among those withdrawn as part of that triple change but Ivan Toney was left on the bench, leaving England without an out-and-out striker. Something needed to change from Tuchel's perspective, but unfortunately it was the scoreline. Diarra all too easily got behind left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly and ran on to drill through Henderson from a tight angle in the 62nd minute, sparking wild celebrations from the pockets of Senegal supporters. England were denied an almost immediate leveller as Eze smartly flicked on for Gibbs-White to test Mendy. The pair linked up brilliantly again soon after, with Saka denied expertly by Mendy's right hand. Henderson stopped Jackson scoring from distance and Pape Gueye struck narrowly wide as home fans became increasingly frustrated. England looked to have been rescued in the 84th minute by substitute Bellingham, who took a touch and stabbed home from close range. But referee Stephanie Frappart was sent to the pitchside monitor and ruled the goal out for a handball by Colwill in the build-up. Toney was finally introduced but the only other goal would come from a Senegalese boot as Lamine Camara broke and played across for Sabaly in stoppage time.
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Harry Brook revels in leading ‘awesome' England after West Indies clean sweep
Brook has enjoyed a perfect start as limited-overs captain, winning all six games against the West Indies to overhaul the fortunes of a group that lost their last eight matches in the hangdog final days of Jos Buttler's tenure. Buoyed by matching 3-0 scorelines in the ODI and T20 formats, sealing the latter with a comfortable 37-run win in Southampton, Brook talked up England's chances of becoming a force to be reckoned with. Harry Brook's side were victorious again (Andrew Matthews/PA) With a T20 World Cup coming early next year, it is a challenge they will soon get the chance to meet. 'It's been a pretty good start hasn't it? I think almost every player in this team is a world-beater,' he said after his side scored 248 for three – the joint highest T20 international total on English soil. 'We want to get to a stage now where we're winning series in the first two or three games and we're nailing them in the others. We want to clean sweep people. We want to be the most dominant team in the world. 'I've said plenty of times the depth that we have in batting is just awesome. The top three, four, five can go hard and get us up to totals like we saw here. Then with the skills that the bowlers possess as well, it's worked beautifully. 'I feel like we're just such a team. I've never really felt that apart from in the Test side.' This went for four 😅 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 10, 2025 Brook prioritised international cricket and opted out of a lucrative Indian Premier League contract earlier this year, incurring a potential three-year ban having originally put his name into the auction. It is a lead he now wants others to follow. He said: 'Absolutely, that's what we want to try and do. We want people to almost turn around and say, 'I want to play for England and I'm happy to sit out of the odd franchise competition to do it'. 'I personally think playing for England is the pinnacle of cricket and to play for your country is the best thing you can do.' That is a luxury the West Indies can only dream of, following the premature retirement of Nicholas Pooran at just 29 years old. Financially, they lack the muscle to compete with the riches on offer in some leagues, but that is not an issue England face so acutely. Jamie Smith seized his chance at the top of the order (Andrew Matthews/PA) Competition is only likely to increase if the case of Phil Salt and Jamie Smith is anything to go by. Salt has missed the West Indies series following the birth of his first child, but did make a whistle stop return to India for the IPL final, which he won with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. His place went to Smith, who scored 60 off just 26 balls at the Utilita Bowl to threaten the pecking order. 'The talent that we've got in English cricket in white ball cricket is just phenomenal. For Salty to miss out on a series and Smudge to do what he's done this series is just mega,' Brook added. 'The batting depth we have is just awesome.'
