Arsenal face Corinthians in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup Final at Arsenal Stadium on Sunday evening. Many suspected that we would see an Arsenal v Gotham final but Corinthians vanquished the NWSL and CONCACAF Champions in their semi-final on Wednesday.
Gunners right-back Emily Fox stopped to talk to a small circle of UK journalists on Friday. Arseblog News asked the USWNT full-back whether the team had spoken about the intensity that Corinthians will take into the game on Sunday.
‘We have spoken about it, watching the game against Gotham you could see it, you could feel it. From my experience playing the Brazilian National Team I think that is part of their culture and identity in football. We are ready for it and I am excited.’ Arseblog News also asked whether she had spoken to any of her USWNT teammates from Gotham about facing the South American champions.
‘I haven’t, for us we were very focused on playing ASFAR and playing our semi-final and going from there. But we will take a lot from watching their game against Gotham and other video clips we have from their games.’
Fellow right-back Smilla Holmberg has arrived from Sweden this month, providing both support and competition to Fox in the right-back role and Fox has been impressed by how the 19-year-old from Hammarby has acquitted herself.
‘She has been amazing, it has been a smooth transition and as a team we have tried to really focus on that. We have a lot of young players and at the top of the game, it is getting younger so young players have even more support. With that, she has so many strengths, great player, great person. It is great to have her on the team and I think you are already seeing how much we are utilising her.’
As a Europe based player, Fox could not play in the USWNT’s 5-0 win over Chile last week, but she did manage to see the viral moment that Trinity Rodman coerced coach Emma Hayes into dancing with her to celebrate the fifth goal. ‘Whenever I turn my phone on I see it!’ she laughed. ‘I think Emma is catching onto American culture and what we are about. Especially with Trin, playing football and having fun and having that spark. It’s fun to see her getting with that culture.’
Experiencing a different footballing culture was also a big part of Fox’s reason for coming to England in January 2024. She suggests playing the FIFA Champions Cup in the middle of the season is not a big psychological challenge for Arsenal given the number of cup competitions in the UK compared to the US.
‘That’s one of the reasons I came here to get that diversity, with Champions League and this tournament, League Cup, FA Cup and the diversity of tournaments in the UK. It really helps my international game because we play so many different styles of teams but it just makes it fun.
‘We are used to having so many tournaments and having to shift that mode. If anything it has been exciting because it’s a semi-final and final quickly as opposed to a Champions League throughout an entire season. We are willing to make the most of it and have the opportunity to win a final.
Arsenal will have the unusual advantage of being at home for the final, something Fox acknowledges is an advantage for her side. ‘Playing here with the home crowd and we take a lot of pride in that but, at the same time, we respect what Corinthians have done to come here, so we know we are going to have to bring it.
‘The more fans, the better I am here for it, let’s make it loud! With this tournament it’s showing women’s football on a global stage and different teams and cultures are meshing together. We were swapping jerseys with players after the game and getting conversations going because we don’t always get the chance to play one another.’
Arsenal play Corinthians in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup Final at 6pm on Sunday at Arsenal Stadium.