Latest news with #Agyemang
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Michelle Agyemang's journey from Wembley ballgirl to England scorer
The rapid acceleration of Michelle Agyemang's young career is summed up in one striking revelation towards the end of her first sitdown with reporters at the national football centre: barely three and a half years ago, she was a ballgirl at Wembley for the Lionesses' 4-0 victory over Northern Ireland, which was Sarina Wiegman's first Wembley outing as England head coach. On Friday, the 19-year-old could be running out for her country under the famous arch against Portugal, after bursting into late contention for a place at July's European Championship. Back in October 2021, a 14-minute hat-trick from substitute Beth Mead, the first woman to score a Wembley hat-trick for the Lionesses, made it an unforgettable day for Agyemang, who was then aged just 15. Fast forward to April 2025 and it was the Arsenal youngster who was making an immediate impact off the bench, scoring on her senior England debut with a top-class strike in Belgium. Advertisement Related: Williamson 'devastated' by Earps' England exit but Wiegman quiet on talks England ultimately still lost that game in Leuven 3-2 but Agyemang's stunning cameo was more than enough to earn her another callup to Wiegman's squad for their Women's Nations League meetings with Portugal and Spain. The teenager said: 'It was amazing to get that call and to be here again. My family is so supportive. When I was telling them my mum was screaming, my dad was shouting as well and then my friends. I'm really grateful that she [Wiegman] has put the trust in me to come in here again and show what I can do for a longer period of time.' Her first callup had come midway through the April international break after her fellow Arsenal striker Alessia Russo withdrew with a knock and Agyemang – who was already on international duty with England's Under-19s – was suddenly flying to Belgium. 'To come on, make my debut and score [in Belgium] was out of this world,' she said. 'All I remember is the cross in from Leah [Williamson]. It was such a surreal moment and I'm so grateful for it. There are so many more things to come and I'm just really grateful, once again, for the opportunity.' The England defender Jess Carter poured praise on Agyemang when speaking this week, saying: 'We try and encourage the youngsters to just be themselves. They are here because they've earned the right just the same way everybody else has. Look at Michelle, she got called up [at the] last second in the last camp, she's got an absolute worldie and she's earned the right to be here again. Michelle is a perfect example of why we want the younger generation to be up here and what they can deliver.' Advertisement When England were delivering by winning the Euros in 2022, Agyemang was watching from home. Since then she has had loan spells with Watford and – this season – with Brighton, scoring three Women's Super League goals and two more in domestic cups for the Sussex club. Then last Saturday she was in Lisbon with Arsenal as a non-playing member of their group, inside the stadium, watching first-hand as the north London club won their first European title in 18 years, an experience she will cherish for ever. 'They [Arsenal] were really helpful and got all the loan players that have been out, we all went out together,' she said. 'We were sat quite close to the girls, [we were] on the pitch after the game as well, so we still felt like a part of the squad, which was really nice to be around. 'It was crazy – I felt like a fan and like a player at the same time, so it was nice to be around. And then all the scenes after the game, it was really special.' She is now hoping it is not the only silverware she sees this summer. At youth international level, Agyemang has helped England qualify for the Under-19 Euros, a competition she could play in, in Poland in June, but Wiegman is evidently considering her for the senior Euros in Switzerland if she impresses in this camp. On her transition between the Under-19s and the seniors, the youngster said: 'It's been interesting going through the different age groups, meeting different players and coaches. But I think the England pathway is so similar across the board, so it's really easy to settle in no matter where I am. The pathway enables people to get up to the seniors quickly. I think wherever I am [in whichever England team] it's about helping the team prepare and winning the trophy this year.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🎥 Team-mates pay tribute to Michelle Agyemang after England debut stunner
It's been a whirlwind few days for Michelle Agyemang. Fresh from receiving a first senior England call-up after injury to Alessia Russo, the forward made her international debut in Tuesday's Nations League loss to Portugal. Advertisement And Agyemang took just 41 seconds to open her account for Sarina Wiegman's side with a sublime volley to reduced the deficit in the European champions' 3-2 reversal. (This clip is only available for users in the United Kingdom) Agyemang's Brighton teammates had their say on her maiden international strike and it's fair to say they were (mostly) blown away. Will the 19-year-old be able to keep her place in the Lionesses' squad? 📸 Alex Bierens de Haan - 2025 Getty Images
BBC News
09-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Who is England's rising star Agyemang?
Michelle Agyemang was just 41 seconds into her England debut when she controlled the ball on her thigh and unleashed a volley which smashed into the top was the stuff of dreams for the 19-year-old, even though her incredible goal could not save an England side beaten 3-2 by Belgium in the Nations next goal is to secure a place in Sarina Wiegman's squad for Euro 2025 this summer. The BBC Sport Ask me Anything team take a look at the Lionesses' rising star - from her academy days to first-team football. Joining Arsenal at the age of six Agyemang is a lifelong Arsenal fan and joined the club's academy at the age of six, after her father, a grassroots football coach, secured her a initially played as a defender but developed into a played through the age categories and moved into the first-team set-up, making her debut in 2022 aged Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie told the Women's Football Weekly podcast Agyemang was a natural goalscorer."She is unreal," said Beattie."She was an academy player when I was at Arsenal and she used to come up to training and was sometimes involved in match squads."Beattie said that Arsenal's players quickly saw the type of goalscoring quality Agyemang showed against Belgium."I kid you not - she would do that in training," Beattie said. "She is an incredible box player, an unbelievable finisher. She doesn't need more than one or two touches, exactly what you saw against Belgium."After a handful of first-team appearances, she was loaned out to Women's Championship side Watford for the 2023-24 scored five goals in 10 appearances at Watford, and back at Arsenal was rewarded with her first professional 19-year-old joined Brighton on loan in September, and has scored three goals in 19 appearances. Lionesses journey Agyemang's rise through the England ranks has reflected her growth at club has made 25 age-group appearances for the national team - from the under-16s to the after a whirlwind few days, she has her first senior England cap and had scored for the Under-19s in their 5-1 win against Austria on Saturday and then learned she was heading to Belgium after being called up to the senior squad on Sunday to replace the injured Alessia told BBC Sport it had been "a crazy 10 days"."Coming with the Under-19s, playing in the Euros round two, coming over here for the seniors, it has been a really good experience and I'm really grateful for the opportunity," she said."Both the team and the coaches, everyone has been really welcoming, everyone back in England and here in Belgium, I've felt the love from everyone and you can see it from the performance on the pitch I felt like myself and confident."This is the level I want to play at, week in week out, at club as well, making sure I do everything I can to get back here again and help the team get ready for the Euros as well." 'Take her to the Euros' - what have others said? Wiegman was full of praise for Agyemang after the match."That goal was just incredible. The composure, the first touch and the second touch. For her, it was really nice that she comes on and within a minute she has the moment," she captain Leah Williamson said: "I think the first training session at Arsenal she hit me hard enough to remember her name. I'm delighted for her."Beattie added: "She has made a name for herself now. There is no better intro to a senior squad than that in an international debut."Ellen White - the Lionesses record goalscorer - described Agyemang as "a phenomenal talent". "Take her to the Euros," she said. "There is some excitement, something different and something fresh." More questions answered... Who runs the Premier League? And how do rule changes happen?What is the Masters Champions Dinner and what's on the menu?Why do different football competitions have different balls?How does the Women's Nations League work?How does BBC report on big stories about itself? What questions would you ask? We're looking for your questions for the Ask Me Anything team. Post them in the comments section and we'll look to answer the best of them in the future.
Telegraph
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
The 15-minute cameo that proved Michelle Agyemang should make England's Euros squad
Alessia Russo's withdrawal from the England squad because of injury was undoubtedly one of the reasons they struggled against Belgium – but there was an unlikely positive that could prove to be the answer to their striker problem. Michelle Agyemang was promoted to the senior team from England Under-19s and made an instant impact. Agyemang came off the bench in the 80th minute and scored an incredible debut goal just 41 seconds later. The striker took one touch to control the ball on her thigh and a second to hammer a volley into the back of the net. WHAT a way to make your England debut. Michelle Agyemang 💫 🏴 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 8, 2025 The 19-year-old forward was only on the pitch for 15 minutes but in that brief cameo she provided the spark that England had been lacking. Sarina Wiegman had opted to start Nikita Parris in the No 9 role in Russo's absence, with Aggie Beever-Jones operating on the left and Beth Mead on the right. Parris struggled to hold the ball up and was substituted for Fran Kirby on the hour mark. This saw Beever-Jones move more central, which seemed to help her make more of an impression. The Lionesses have a shortage of No 9 options beyond Russo. Beever-Jones primarily plays out wide for Chelsea while Lauren Hemp, who is currently injured, has played the odd game there. It is clear that Agyemang, who has spent this season on loan with Brighton from Arsenal, is still a raw talent. After scoring, she had another opportunity to shoot at goal, which she snatched at. However, she has already shown a level of calmness and maturity beyond her years. 'She came in and did really well,' Wiegman said of Agyemang. 'She scored an incredible goal, the composure she has and the calmness… I think we do have to celebrate that [the goal] a little for her. We haven't done now, because overall we are disappointed, but that was really good.' When a young player scores a goal as good as Agyemang's, it is difficult not to get carried away. It is important to remember she has only managed one goal in the Women's Super League in 14 appearances, all of which have come as a substitute. She has also scored one goal in the FA Cup and one in the League Cup. But there will be a clamour for her to get more opportunities for England and rightly so. It was a breath of fresh air to see her come off the bench and play without fear. Her finish was instinctive and a glimpse of the unlimited potential she has. As well as Russo, England were missing Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Lauren James for their defeat in Belgium. If all four players are fit for July's European Championship – and when Beth Mead and Beever-Jones are added to that group – the question is whether there is room for Agyemang in the squad. Wiegman can pick only 23 players. If the squad size had been increased to 26, Agyemang would undoubtedly have a greater chance. After Tuesday's game, she has a strong case to be ahead of Jess Naz and Parris in the pecking order. Despite the latter's vast international experience, she needed to show more in the 60 minutes she had in Leuven. Wiegman unsurprisingly played down the idea of whether Agyemang can be an able deputy for Russo in the No 9 role. 'I can't say that to you right now,' said the Lionesses head coach. 'She's an absolute talent and I think she's a very good No 9 but it's the first time she came into the squad, had one training session with us and came on. 'The spaces were really small, she's very powerful and in these tight spaces I thought she could do something good, which she did. Of course we will keep an eye on her and keep following her. It's too early to say now where that goes because I think when players come back and are fit, I think the competition up front is really, really high. I think in the longer term she is an exciting player.' Still, Agyemang's strength, speed and instinctive finishing ability makes her a more natural No 9 understudy to Russo than any of the other options England have. She is not yet the perfect player and has areas to improve on, but she could not have done more against Belgium to show why the Lionesses should take a chance on her in Switzerland this summer.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michelle Agyemang scores stunning goal 41 seconds into debut: ‘She has the world at her feet'
Michelle Agyemang scores stunning goal 41 seconds into debut: 'She has the world at her feet' As England trailed Belgium 3-1 in the 80th minute of Tuesday's UEFA Women's Nation League match, captain Leah Williamson played a first-time right-to-left diagonal ball into the box. Forward Michelle Agyemang, who had only entered the match 41 seconds earlier, watched the ball, took one touch to control it with her right thigh, swivelled her hips and smashed a volley into the back of the net. Advertisement 'As soon as I touched it, I thought: 'Just hit it',' Agyemang told ITV Sport. She called it the greatest moment of her young career. The Arsenal academy graduate, who joined the club at the age of six and made her first-team debut at 16 in November 2022, even garnered praise from Belgium manager Elisabet Gunnarsdottir who told her after the game that 'it was the nicest goal' she had seen this year. 'It was amazing,' said Gunnarsdottir. 'You stand there and just enjoy it. This is what football is about.' As England prepared for the restart, down 3-2, midfielder Keira Walsh gave Agyemang serious instructions. Defender Lucy Bronze thumped the teenager's chest with both of her hands. Advertisement The senior England internationals were not telling off Agyemang, rather their actions were simply a mark of respect. Respect for the absolutely ridiculous goal she had just scored in her debut. The goal gave England life for a brief time but was ultimately not enough to help her country, with the final score remaining 3-2 in Belgium's favor. It was a moment of quality England desperately needed after a dismal first-half performance in which they conceded three goals in 29 minutes. Sarina Wiegman's side were slow off the mark. They were sloppy in possession, too. When they lost the ball, England were too open in midfield, leaving them vulnerable to counter attacks. Forward Nikita Parris, made her first England start in two-and-a-half years after replacing the injured Alessia Russo who withdrew from camp after a minor knee injury following England's 5-0 win against Belgium on Friday. However, Parris struggled to make an impact and lacked the qualities in her hold-up play. She came off on the hour mark along with midfielder Grace Clinton. Russo, who has avoided serious injury and is set to return to play for Arsenal this month, is an out-and-out centre forward, a grafter who uses her strength to take care of the ball, and stitch play but is also becoming a more selfish penalty-box striker. Her absence was sorely missed on Tuesday when England desperately needed a goal-scoring threat. Advertisement Up stepped Agyemang. Coming on for Jess Park in the 80th minute, she was the shining light in an otherwise lethargic England performance. The centre forward posed Belgium's defence questions, worked well in tight spaces technically and physically. The life-long Arsenal fan, on loan to Brighton this season, was only called up to Wiegman's squad on Sunday following Russo's withdrawal, having initially been named in the Under-19s team. On Saturday, she scored in their 5-1 win over Austria which secured England's place in this year's Under-19s European Championships. Perhaps Agyemang will be eyeing a spot at the senior Euros in Switzerland instead. She only had one training session with the Lionesses before Tuesday's game but immediately impressed Wiegman and her team-mates. 'She's very, very strong, very technically sound,' said centre back Esme Morgan, who was right behind Agyemang as she hit the volley. 'You play the ball into her and she holds it up well and she is very good at laying it off to bring others into play. Her finishing is great, attacking the ball from crosses, she's so dynamic and she's a really smart player. She has great physical attributes too to be able to complement that.' Advertisement Helen Ward, head of women's football at Watford where Agyemang spent the 2023-24 season on loan, echoes Morgan's words. 'She is a great kid, dedicated to her craft, super talented but humble,' Ward told . 'She has the world at her feet, all the attributes to be a top, top player both in her physical attributes but also her technical ability is very, very good. She has it all really. She just needs to keep gaining experience like this and in the Women's Super League (WSL) and she can achieve what she wants.' Wiegman praised Agyemang's composure and calmness and said her achievement should be celebrated, a rare comment for a manager who is often reluctant to talk about individuals. Russo's absence highlights the lack of a natural back-up striker England have heading into the Euros. Lauren Hemp, out injured at the moment, has played at centre forward but is not an out-and-out No 9 and brings different qualities. Advertisement When asked if Agyemang could fill that space, Wiegman said: 'I can't say that to you right now' before adding she is 'an absolute talent'. 'Of course, we will keep an eye on her. It's too early to say now where that goes.' They say to take your opportunities, Agyemang took hers with two touches. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Brighton & Hove Albion, England, UK Women's Football 2025 The Athletic Media Company
