There are two images that punctuate Katie McCabe’s decade-long Arsenal career. The first, the early days, meeting just a handful of supporters to sign autographs. The second, on top of a podium, red and white confetti fluttering into the Champions League trophy as she yells into a microphone: “What do we think of Tottenham?!”
May’s European triumph was one of six honours the Irish captain has won in north London, alongside a Ballon d’Or nomination in 2023.
After the recent stalemate against Manchester United left them 10 points behind league-leaders Manchester City, there are those outside the club who have questioned whether Arsenal are on course for more. At the time of writing, though, they are still technically in the running for five honours, including the upcoming Champions Cup.
‘We are still pushing’
“We want to be pushing for trophies,” McCabe tells The i Paper. “When you play for a club like Arsenal, it’s important we stay in these competitions and yeah, if you look at the league mathematically, there is a big gap.
“But things can happen pretty quickly. Teams are taking points off each other all over the league. We need to keep full focus on that and making sure we’re putting in the right performances and keeping our standards as a team as much as possible.”
“There is going to be moments where people have different opinions on things. For us, we ignore the outside noise. There’s been highs and lows. At times, we haven’t been where we want to be as a team. But personally, I like to not look backwards and just focus on how we can be better and how can we get the best out of each other.”
Champions of Europe
After the dreamlike highs of Lisbon, when Arsenal achieved what no English side had done in a Women’s Champions League final since they last won it in 2007, perhaps a jolt back to reality was inevitable.
“It was something I always dreamed about as a young kid in Ireland,” McCabe says. “I’ll never forget it.”
The 30-year-old is something of a rare breed – she relishes the incessance of a schedule that is increasing all the time as the sport grows. The new Europa Cup, Champions Cup and Club World Cup are all aimed at developing the women’s game but inevitably increase the strain on players.
Could women’s football be heading to Qatar?
The inaugural Women’s Club World Cup, still two years away, has reportedly had an expression of interest from Qatar, who want to host it. The women’s game in the Gulf state has been so neglected that it does not even have a Fifa ranking and the tournament would be held mid-season, causing major disruption to European leagues.
A number of high-profile WSL players – including Leah Williamson, in an interview with The i Paper – also spoke out about Qatar’s 2022 men’s World Cup, given the country’s criminalisation of homosexuality.
“The one thing I would say is there are obviously a lot of big differences, culturally, that would need to be considered before a competition like that is confirmed over there,” McCabe adds.
Arsenal’s new era
The workload on players has already been heightened this season, with several of her Arsenal teammates – Williamson, Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo – going the distance with the Lionesses at Euro 2025.
“When there’s a tournament smack bang in the middle of the summer, that has a big impact on how each player comes back into the start of the season. The club did a really good job of getting everyone back in – there’s still five trophies to play for. I try to just embrace the challenge of it, I really enjoy the games coming thick and fast. That might be my competitive nature!”
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Arsenal have also transformed their set-up off the pitch as a means of challenging on so many fronts. Head coach Renee Slegers has earned a new deal and Arsenal legend Jodie Taylor has been made technical director. That continues a long tradition, McCabe points out, of the club “giving opportunities to women” in a league with just four female managers.
McCabe’s own 10 years at the club “started with a couple of 100 fans at Boreham Wood – now we’ve got 37,000 at the Emirates”.
“It’s crazy to think it’s been 10 years,” she says. “It’s a really proud thing to look at and know that I’ve played a part in where we are today. I’ve grown up at the club and helped shape where we are now and the history we’ve made.”
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