Laila Harbert has been a part of the Arsenal family since she was just nine years old.
_As a defensive midfielder, she's worked tirelessly through the academy ranks to achieve her dream of playing for the first team alongside her idol and club captain, Kim Little._
_Born in 2007, Laila is one of a group of talented young women who have made the leap from the academy to the first team, alongside players like Katie Reid, Viv Lia, Freya Godfrey, Michelle Agyemang, Naomi Williams and Maddy Earl._
_After making her Arsenal first-team debut during the Australian tour at the end of last season, Laila's journey took another exciting turn. This summer, she led England U17s at the UEFA U17 European Championships in Sweden. The young Lionesses achieved an incredible milestone by reaching their first-ever final, ultimately finishing as runners-up._
_Most recently, Laila captained the U17 Lionesses at the U17 Women's World Cup in the Dominican Republic. She was one of eight young Gunners who proudly represented England in the tournament._
_Though the Lionesses finished fourth, Laila reflects on the invaluable lessons she gained from the experience. She shares how she embraced leadership on an international stage and the unwavering support from our senior team throughout her journey._
I returned from the U17s World Cup having learned so much about myself as a player, a person and a captain. The pride I felt in representing my country at my first World Cup was only doubled by the fact that I was wearing the armband, which is the greatest honour of my career so far. In terms of the different teams and challenges we faced along the way, it’s an experience that will stay with me for years to come.
Before we even got to the Dominican Republic, it was a rollercoaster preparation period. We set up camp in Florida just days before a hurricane landed, so a lot of our time was spent sheltering inside the hotel. The tournament itself was just as eventful and the quarter-final against Japan was probably the highlight. We were under a lot of pressure in the first half, struggling to match their play and tactics, so half-time was a vital reset. We regrouped and knew exactly what we needed to do to turn the game around: come out in the second half with a lot more bravery and aggression. You could feel the momentum shift towards us.
A penalty shootout is an exciting one for fans to watch, but I think it is for players as well. It’s a real psychological test as you’re often expected to score, so you have to stick to your preparation, trust the process and execute in the best way you can. We’d prepared for that situation all season so it was more about us showing our process to the rest of the world. Luckily, it worked! It was such an amazing moment to be a part of.
I think my journey as a captain has come a long way since the start of the season. Part of my responsibility is to discover how to get the best out of the girls as a group in high-pressure situations, and that comes from really getting to know each individual off the pitch. I love listening to others and being challenged because when everyone feels free to share their ideas and contribute to the team’s goals, it only strengthens the sense of unity that we already have. When you can bring leadership qualities out in other people, the dressing room becomes a better place because people feel valued and there are diverse voices in the room.
On a matchday, I have to think beyond how I can be the best midfielder - I also have to consider how to be the best captain for our team. I always give a pre-match speech, as does our head coach, but at half-time, we make sure that everyone has a few minutes to reflect individually before sharing. Then, together with the coaches, we’ll address the plan for the second half.
Just as I encourage my teammates to challenge me, I’m comfortable enough with our coaches to have open discussions with them in the best interest of the team. We always make sure we’re on the same page with the game plan and team values because when our staff and player group are connected, it allows everyone to perform at their best.
There are challenges off the pitch, too. I’ve had to build the discipline to put my individual feelings aside, especially in defeat, so we can regroup and refocus. When you’ve just lost a World Cup semi-final and you’re disappointed, proud and everything in between, you have to try and stay level-headed. There’s not much time to grieve before you’re off to complete your media duties. During those moments, you have to compartmentalise so that you can speak as best you can on behalf of the team.
Leadership doesn’t always have to be verbal. My teammates would say I’m quiet off the pitch, leading through behaviours rather than being the loudest. I’ve seen that first-hand at Arsenal as Kim Little leads by example on and off the pitch in the way she conducts herself. Leah Williamson is the more vocal of the two and she's a real inspiration in terms of how she articulates herself in meetings and on the pitch. She helps drive professionalism in our surroundings.
We have so many different types of leaders at the club so it's such a special environment to learn and grow in. Going through the age groups here at Arsenal allowed me to lead teams from an early age, which helped hugely when I was given the England captaincy. It’s an ongoing development process, especially as my role changes in different environments. Going from being the youngest player in the Arsenal squad to the oldest in my age group at the World Cup was a big shift! But for me, it’s about finding ways to have a voice in both spaces.
I always notice small changes when I’ve been away for international duty but there have been some major changes this time around. It’s exciting to come back home, especially when it’s so nice and vibrant here at the moment. The girls gave me a lovely welcome back and they were so lovely and supportive while I was away. Lotte, Less, Steph and Rosa all texted during the tournament to wish me luck and Leah spoke to me after I got back. It goes such a long way when you can tell your teammates are invested, especially when the games were so hard to watch. Their support meant an awful lot to me.
Since coming back to London, I’ve reflected on the tournament itself, I’ve decompressed with our psychologist and also went through technical and tactical reflections with the analysts. I always enjoy watching matches back to notice which habits worked for me and which didn’t, because there are always learnings to take. We played some top-quality opposition at the World Cup so as a team, our next challenge is how we close that gap. As an individual, I’m focusing on where I can improve so that I can keep growing as a player and next time, we can end up with a better outcome.
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