Ahead of Sunday’s FIFA Champions Cup Final against Corinthians at Arsenal Stadium, Lotte Wubben-Moy spoke to a small group of journalists at the stadium on Friday evening. With the Champions of Europe taking on the champions of South America, Arsenal have the chance to make history on Sunday by winning the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup.
Arseblog News puts it to Lotte that it is difficult to do something unprecedented in Arsenal Women’s history but that she and her team have the chance to do just that on Sunday. ‘It’s interesting how you say that. Pretty unprecedented to be able to make history here. I think to have been able to stand on the shoulders of those that have come before gives you that right.
‘It makes you stand with your chest out and I think that’s what we do here at Arsenal Football Club. But for me personally, I think there is a lot of pride, a lot of joy and I think whenever you get to play for silverware, I’ve done it for England, Euros, World Cup- the Champions Cup is something new that Arsenal definitely want to get our names on.’
It is slightly unusual that Arsenal will have home advantage for the final, the West Coast of America was initially explored as a host for this tournament but with Arsenal mid-season, FIFA were persuaded to hold the intercontinental tournament in London. Wubben-Moy acknowledges this is an advantage for the Gunners.
‘It being at the Emirates is very much ball in our court. We know the fans and the environment. Then I think taking a step back and looking at the tournament as a whole, there’s a lot of unknowns. It feels like a FIFA tournament in many ways.
‘I think the noise around it, the excitement, but also such amazing teams on show I think it’s a big spectacle for women’s football in general and I think a key step towards more growth and more excitement around women’s games.’
On Wednesday at Brentford, fans from Morocco, Brazil and, of course, Arsenal made for a colourful occasion for the semi-finals and Wubben-Moy points to London’s diversity as a reason that it makes such a great hosting city for the tournament. ‘I think you all are no strangers to London being such a diverse city. There are so many different communities within.
‘I’m from Tower Hamlets, Hackney and there’s so much diversity and there was a big Moroccan contingent in the stadium in West London, Brentford. So that was really cool to see. And likewise, the Corinthians fans. Again, there is a big Brazilian contingent in London, too. I’m sure on Sunday, they’ll be the same.
‘At Arsenal, many of the players that are here at the club, we want to grow the game. I think it’s a responsibility that we take on, sort of, unconsciously in many ways, but I think, consciously speaking, it’s an opportunity to show the world how good women’s football is.’
Lotte studied in the US and played college football in the States. An undercooked Gotham were knocked out of the semi-finals by Corinthians, who are also not in season at the moment. Wubben-Moy would like to see more intercontinental football in the women’s game but admits that competing calendars make it difficult to do at an opportune time for everyone.
‘I think everyone’s gonna have to compromise. Ideally, it would fall into the summer where there’s no big tournament, no major tournament, but then again, that clashes with other leagues like the NWSL. So I think when I look at how moving forward, there’s gonna have to be give and take. I see compromise, but I see compromise in the face of both.
‘The thing I think I hold highly is that one, the fans are a key part of the decisions, the players, are a key part of the decisions and those making the final decisions do it with integrity and do it in a way that takes those two parties into account.’
Lotte wore the captain’s armband for the semi-final against ASFAR on Wednesday, a responsibility that the childhood Arsenal fan doesn’t take lightly. ‘If you could put this smile into words that would be it. I think I’ve touched on it before earlier in the season- I’ve been part of the leadership group for a while.
‘I’m still the same person, just because you have an armband, doesn’t mean you act any differently. I still have the same conversations, I still challenge the same people. I stay at the same and be me and I think that’s how I will always be, whether I have an armband or not.’