ZURICH — There have been raised eyebrows when Michelle Agyemang’s identify was listed amongst Sarina Wiegman’s 23-player England squad heading to Switzerland for Euro 2025. Followers assumed the 19-year-old Arsenal striker wouldn’t play and questioned whether or not extra expertise could be wanted in protection of their trophy. But she has turn out to be England’s saving grace; an “agent of chaos” who has salvaged the Lionesses marketing campaign with key late objectives twice within the knockout rounds.
She was on the pitch for 11 minutes when she struck the equalizer within the quarterfinal in opposition to Sweden to make it 2-2, earlier than England progressed after a weird penalty shootout. And, after approaching within the eighty fifth minute in opposition to Italy within the semifinal, she struck residence a relaxed end close to the tip of stoppage time to take the sport to further time, earlier than Chloe Kelly bagged the successful penalty within the 118th minute.
Fittingly, Agyemang’s identify actually interprets to “savior of a nation.” And, whereas she is unlikely to start out within the upcoming closing in opposition to Spain until Wiegman opts to play a 3-5-2 formation, all eyes might be on the teenager if she comes off the bench once more.
Agyemang has turn out to be the epitome of the time period “super-sub,” however with a lot consideration on the teenager, there’s so much she will be able to study from those that have walked the trail earlier than her that can assist information her sooner or later.
Educating from her teammates
The size of taking part in at her first senior match is way larger than something that has come earlier than in her profession and, by Agyemang’s personal admission, it has been overwhelming. You would not know that although; not with how she has carried out as she handles the stress of approaching and being informed to alter a sport.
Primarily, Agyemang has seemed to Chelsea ahead Lauren James because the inspiration for her cool and calm model on the ball. “She [James] is among the most technically gifted gamers I’ve ever seen,” Agyemang says. “She is so calm and picked up on the ball. You may see that whether or not she is in entrance of aim or below stress, she is aware of what she is doing. That is one thing I wish to take into my sport and be constant at.”
Taking over data from Arsenal teammate Alessia Russo has been the most important enhance, although, as they play in the identical place up entrance. Whereas it was Ellen White who ran at defenses for 85 minutes at Euro 2022, tiring them out and establishing Russo to come back on and alter issues off the bench, Russo has now stepped into the White function in Switzerland, with Agyemang capable of make an influence in a brief area of time.
“She [Russo] is so constant in the best way she performs, the best way she trains, and also you see it on the pitch as effectively,” Agyemang says. “She makes a huge impact within the sport and that is clearly one thing that I try to do at any time when I get onto the pitch.”
Agyemang has grasped her alternative with each palms and Wiegman has most popular her to Chelsea striker Aggie Beever-Jones, who many thought would star in the identical function. However it’s her pure aggression which has tipped the scales. “In duels I believe she must settle down a little bit bit as she makes some fouls,” Wiegman stated again in Might. “You do not wish to nearly destroy your opponent.”
But, in coaching, teammate Lucy Bronze is encouraging the 19-year-old to go as laborious as she will be able to. The veteran proper again is aware of that the very last thing opposition defenses wish to see, having been drained out by Russo’s athleticism and talent for many of the sport, is the tenacious, aggressive and medical teenager stepping on to the pitch.
“You see it when she comes on, defenders are scared of her,” Bronze says. “She comes on, a defender has performed 90 minutes after which they’ve to come back up in opposition to Michelle; I positive as hell would not need that to be me.”
Arsenal ascension
Agyemang has been at Arsenal because the age of six and made her Ladies’s Tremendous League (WSL) in November 2022 at 16. However her path to the primary group has not been simple and she or he has, to this point, performed solely 4 occasions for the senior facet. Having signed her first skilled contract when she turned 18, a mortgage spell at Brighton & Hove Albion final season was not as productive as hoped and she or he scored simply three objectives in 17 WSL video games.
However now, with the Champions League winners already having a longtime set of world-class forwards in Russo, Stina Blackstenius, Beth Mead and the primary £1 million signing within the girls’s sport, Olivia Smith, Agyemang may have much less entry to sport time to hone her craft and can seemingly should battle for her place or exit on mortgage once more subsequent season.
Whereas she won’t be anticipated to have a direct influence at membership degree, her summer time of success with England will increase the expectation degree and she or he must discover ways to bide her time and keep targeted. Already the group round her, made up of her agent, Arsenal and FA workers and PR supervisor, have been serving to her regulate to the new-found reputation and added media obligations that come because of this.
Many England gamers have spoken extremely of their assist community and it’s one thing that might be relied upon as her profession accelerates as a result of the highlight can come as a price. However to this point, she will not be too involved about outward stress.
“I believe many of the stress comes from myself,” she says. “I do not attempt to hearken to the noise. I admire the assist from everybody. I believe specializing in what I can do is most essential, after which the noise will come round it doesn’t matter what occurs. However I believe for me, simply specializing in how I can enhance my sport and the way I will help the group is my most essential factor.”
Salma’s story
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England gamers react to Agyemang aim & reaching Euro 2025 closing
Michelle Agyemang, Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly react to England’s win in opposition to Italy to achieve Euro 2025 closing.
Whereas starring at a significant match is thrilling for a teen, it could possibly include a destructive gentle. Her counterpart within the Spain facet she is going to face within the closing on Sunday, 21-year-old ahead Salma Paralluelo, is 2 years forward of the place Agyemang is at present, however is one thing of a cautionary story.
Salma burst on to the scene with Villarreal and after three seasons with the Spanish facet, European juggernauts Barcelona got here knocking to signal her when she was 18. Two months into her debut season, she made her worldwide debut; inside eight months, she was beginning on the 2023 World Cup, setting the stage alight and shining brighter than even seasoned gamers. Then-Spain supervisor Jorge Vilda even stated: “I haven’t got to elucidate her high quality, however she is simply 19 and no-one is aware of what her ceiling is.”
She was named Younger Participant of the Event as a consequence of her blistering tempo and adaptableness to play anyplace throughout the ahead line, which led to 2 consecutive third-place finishes within the Ballon d’Or voting after one other productive season at Barcelona.
However then in October 2024, after making 92 appearances for membership and nation in below two years, Paralluelo introduced she was taking an indefinite break from the sport, citing psychological and bodily exhaustion. It has been a battle ever since to return to her outdated type and although she was tipped to shine in Spain’s assault at Euro 2025, she has usually discovered herself on the bench and has but to attain in Switzerland.
It is too early to say whether or not Agyemang will declare this 12 months’s Younger Participant award on the Euros, however it’s clear that she is about to have the world at her toes, similar to Salma did two years in the past. It is a related story of a meteoric rise and the pressures that come hand in hand with that.
Studying to deal with the eye that comes with being recognized because the “subsequent large factor” is hard; the psychological facet of the sport is among the main speaking factors on the match and England teammate Georgia Stanway not too long ago spoke candidly concerning the progress of ladies’s soccer having unlucky penalties with an increase in social media abuse, on-line harassment and destructive consideration.
No one doubts her talent on the pitch and Agyemang has already proven expertise past her years, however Spain are a special prospect. Three years in the past, Salma was handed a beginning spot within the closing and tormented England as Spain received 1-0 and claimed their first main girls’s title; now Agyemang may have an opportunity to write down her personal identify into historical past.