Did you feel inspired? And could you see within your team-mates that they were also feeling inspired from the lunch?
Yeah, definitely. I think Leah played with some of them, obviously, and Katie, so they all know them better than I do. But I think it was a pleasure that they were there. It felt good. It felt natural.
Is winning the Champions League fuel to win more trophies in the future?
Of course. I think the Champions League is one of the last ones you want to win, so maybe we did it a different way around! For me, I want to win the league so badly and the FA Cup. I think just playing at Wembley, to take those steps, would be incredible. It’s something historical. And some more medals to give my mum!
Going back to your ACL injury, how did that moment feel to you?
It was really tough. Just knowing that I wouldn’t be there for the team during those big moments after I’d had a really good season before. When it happens and they tell you it’s going to be a long time before you can play again, it’s hard to process. Then you start to doubt yourself. Will you ever come back? What kind of player will you be when you do?
I didn’t really talk to anyone about what to expect but, eventually, when you’re on the pitch again and getting closer to normal, you start believing more and more in yourself. It comes naturally.
People can try, but I don’t know if you ever truly believe it when others tell you, “You can do this.” That belief should come from yourself.
It’s a scary time but you learn a lot about yourself. I learned to appreciate more outside of football, like my family and friends, but when I finally came back I appreciated football even more: when you’re in the dressing room with everyone again; when you celebrate a win or a trophy. These are all moments that you don’t forget.