From ball girl to England hero – who is rising star Agyemang?

Many casual football fans would have known Michelle Agyemang before Euro 2025.

However, the 19-year-old is really popular at the Swiss championship.

After coming off the bench in the Lionesses’ quarter-final against Sweden on Thursday, the Arsenal forward scored a crucial equalizer to keep their trophy defense alive. She was a ball girl in Sarina Wiegman’s first game as England manager.

When Wiegman made the striker a part of the tournament squad, she anticipated that she would “bring something different.”

That is exactly what she accomplished. No one on the team had more touches in the opposition box than Agyemang’s five in the four-minute cameo against France, which almost gave England an unlikely lead.

Steph Houghton, the ex-england captain, claimed Agyemang “broughs a different dimension” to the conflict with Sweden.

She aggressively attacked defenders and received a yellow card, but she continued to be aggressive and put her teammates under pressure.

Agyemang’s impact, though, comes as no surprise given that she only had 41 seconds to score on her England debut against Belgium in the top corner.

Agyemang has a lifelong Arsenal fan base and joined the academy when she was six when her father, a pro-football coach, gave her a trial.

She first started out as a defender before becoming a forward.

Agyemang made her debut in 2022 at the age of 16 after playing in the various age groups and transitioning to the first-team setup.

Jen Beattie, a former defender for Arsenal and Scotland, claimed Agyemang has developed into a natural goalscorer.

Beattie remarked, “She is unreal.” She used to train during my Arsenal days and occasionally joined match squads. She was an academy player.

Beattie claimed that Arsenal’s players immediately recognized Agyemang’s level of finishing ability against Belgium.

She would do that in training, Beattie said, “I kid you not.” She has an incredible finish and boxing prowess. You saw against Belgium, and she doesn’t need more than one or two touches.

Agyemang was later signed by Women’s Championship side Watford on a temporary basis for the 2023-2014 season after making a few first-team appearances.

At Watford, Agyemang scored five goals in her first professional season, earning her a first contract with Arsenal.

Agyemang’s advancement in England has been reflected in her development.

She has appeared for the national team in 25 different age groups, starting with the under-16s and the under-23s.

In a few days, she changed her Euros call-up from scoring for the under-19s in their victory over Austria to producing a stunning cameo for the senior side.

Without Alessia Russo’s minor injury, the initial England seniors chance might not have existed.

Agyemang claimed to have had “a crazy 10 days” when she told BBC Sport in April.

“Coming with the under-19s, playing in the Euros round two, and coming over here for the seniors,” she said.

Everyone has been very welcoming, both the team and the coaches said. You can tell from the performance on the pitch how passionate I was about myself and how confident I was.

After making her debut against Belgium off the bench, Wiegman was praised for Agyemang.

That was an incredible goal. The first and second touches, as well as the composure. She said, “It was really nice that she came on, and within a minute she had the moment.

That praise has continued.

When Wiegman was questioned about her braveness in introducing Agyemang against Sweden, she responded, “This is basically why we chose her.”

“We know she hasn’t been in our environment for a while, but the first time she arrived, she did really well and she does something new,” she said.

She demonstrated that against France and Belgium during training. She scores a goal as a result of her strength. She has demonstrated that she can accomplish that.

Leah Williamson, England’s captain, recently said, “I remember when she played because she flattened me during training. On the ball, I was too slowly.

She reportedly complained to me, but I later realized I needed to move the ball more quickly because she has a certain personality.

She let me know she was there, which I love, at first.

She just runs into people and bodies them because she’s so strong, according to Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze, England right-back.

She is “one of my favorites to play against because I can run into her dead hard,” she said. She is so sweet and unassuming as a person.

She enjoys returning it, she says. She has been told by Wiegman that she needs to move a little easier, but I told her, “No, just keep it up, Micha; I prefer it because it makes it harder for us.” “