Agyemang's journey from ball girl to Euro 2025 supersub

BBC News

2 days ago

When she was a ball girl at an England match at Wembley just four years ago, Michelle Agyemang says she was "never that close to the action".The 19-year-old certainly is now, having scored the goal that ultimately kept the Lionesses' Euro 2025 dreams alive in Switzerland.Her 81st-minute close-range finish sent their quarter-final against Sweden to extra time and then penalties, where England triumphed in a chaotic shootout.Agyemang came through the academies with England but her first real encounter with the senior team came when she was a ball girl in Sarina Wiegman's third match in charge - a World Cup qualifying match against Northern Ireland in 2021."It was crazy," she told BBC Sport. "Seeing the girls so close to my face. Beth Mead got a hat-trick that day, so to be a part of that experience was invaluable and I'll never forget it."Wiegman knows about Agyemang's evolution from ball girl to first-team player, but the Arsenal forward does not think her England team-mates know about her history. But that's OK. They know her as the quiet, unassuming teenager who comes alive on the pitch.Against France in England's opening match, Agyemang provided a taste of what she is capable of.Her four-minute cameo almost led England to pull off an unlikely comeback, with nobody in the team having more touches in the opposition box than Agyemang's five.But while she could not save the Lionesses from defeat then, her goal against Sweden in the quarter-final kept them in the tournament and, ultimately, on track to retain their title."It means the world to me to finally be here," she said."I don't think I would have expected that maybe a year ago but everything happens for a reason and to be here is great. To step on the pitch, even just to wear the kit is a great privilege for me and I enjoy it - every single second of it."
From playing the piano to 'creating havoc'
Agyemang's arrival on to the global stage has been anything but low-key.Her England debut came against Belgium in the Nations League in April, when she scored a stunning volley just 41 seconds after coming on as a subsitute.That put Agyemang firmly on Wiegman's radar and, after selecting her to be part of the Euros squad, the England boss said the youngster would "bring something different" to her side.Against Sweden, within 11 minutes of coming onto the pitch as a substitute, she delivered on that prediction."As soon as I got on the pitch Chloe [Kelly] said to me: 'Go and be yourself, go and create havoc, go and change the game,'" Agyemang said."To have someone give you that sort of confidence shows that they have trust in me and instils that confidence in myself as well to go and get the job done."
Havoc is not a word usually associated with Agyemang, whose immediate response to victory over Sweden was to console her opponents and who team-mate Lucy Bronze describes as "sweet and unassuming".Faith is also important to Agyemang, and she listens to gospel music before matches to help get herself in the zone. The church has also influenced her to play instruments - a hobby she has been able to keep up while in Switzerland thanks to the kit man."I play the piano, the bass guitar and the drums. I have my piano in my room so I'm spending a lot of time in there just playing and chilling," she said."I don't think that there's a day that I go without playing it because it's right in front of me. Especially on game days I probably spend about two hours just playing and enjoying myself."Agyemang, who is also studying Business Management at King's College London, is yet to play piano for the whole squad but said Lotte Wubben-Moy has been to hear her."Lotte asked me: 'Hey can I come over?' And I said: 'Yeah, why not?' She came and sat down for about 30 minutes and we had a good time," Agyemang said.
Agyemang has 'belief' despite 'weird' spotlight
As the youngest member of England's squad and competing at her first major tournament, Agyemang is still getting used to the spotlight that comes with being a Lioness.She was speaking to BBC Sport before it became public knowledge that England were working with police after defender Jess Carter revealed she had been the target of racist abuse while in Switzerland.Agyemang said being the focus of attention was "weird"."When I was younger I wasn't really the biggest fan of cameras and stuff around me," she said."It's nice to know that people are interested in the women's game, and in me."That calm and mature nature, which she says comes from her parents, is helping her to balance her rapid rise with the increased attention, and therefore fuel her confidence on the pitch."Whenever I get on the pitch I have that belief I'm going to score," she said. "Even if it's impossible I still have that belief that I'm going to get on the scoresheet."Had someone told young Agyemang that she would be playing for England at Euro 2025, she says she would have backed herself to perform."I would have had full belief and confidence that I could go and make an impact," she said."From a young age I have always had that confidence in myself and that belief. I definitely would have said - 'go and do what you know you can do'."Hopefully we go all the way and I can show more of myself to the rest of the world."