Macdara Ferris reports from the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon
After Arsenal became European Champions for the second time on Saturday evening in Lisbon, U2’s Beautiful Day blasted out around the Estádio José Alvalade. On the pitch afterward the Gunners got the trophy Ireland skipper Katie McCabe didn’t just have a winner’s medal around her neck but an Irish tricolour wrapped there too as she celebrated Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Barcelona in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final.
The result wasn’t just a culmination of a decade’s long journey for McCabe with the Gunners but also her time with Raheny United in the qualifiers prior to that and she drew inspiration from the 2007 Arsenal team who won the club’s first European Cup crown.
A couple of hours after the final whistle and with the celebrations concluding in the dressroom in Sporting’s stadium in Lisbon, McCabe was one of the last to leave.
When she stopped to chat to extratime.com, her medal was still around her neck and she still had a smile on her face – one you reckon will be there for quite a few days to come.
“Everyone knows I'm such a proud Irish woman,” said McCabe when asked to reflect on the win.
“Since I joined the club, I've seen Ciara (Grant), Emma (Byrne) and Yvonne (Treacy) with the tricolour draped around them and a Champions League trophy in their hand (from 2007) and it's motivated me every single day to want to do that.
“Seeing that photo every day motivated me so much and to say now I'm a part of that is incredible. To be standing here now to be associated with those names that've won the Champions League, both men and women in Ireland, makes me very proud. It is amazing.
“I think of days back to when I was playing with Raheny in the (Champions League) qualifiers to where I'm at now. To have some of my old teammates here (from Raheny) in the crowd watching me is pretty special.
"I hope young girls in Ireland were watching that game today and they can dream to be like me winning this trophy.”
The left back had caught up with her family pitch side after the game saying it was a “special special moment.”
Barcelona, back-to-back winners and playing in their fifth final in the row, came in heavy favourites.
The Gunners had to weather a second half storm that looked like it might overwhelm them but they began to create chances as the half wore on before Sweden’s star striker Stina Blackstenius steered the ball home for the winner in the 74th minute.
“I'm just so proud of what we have done as a team,” said McCabe. “We stopped one of the best front lines in the world going forward and we did it together. It was incredible.
“We had belief from our comebacks (in the second legs against Real Madrid and Lyon in the last two rounds). We knew it was a final - we had to go all in.
"We heard the underdog word thrown around but we deserved to be in this final, we gave it everything. Stina got her moment and she took it. I'm super happy for her.”
Match winner view
The goalscorer also spoke in the mix zone talking through her winner. “It was a really good pass from Beth (Mead),” said Blackstenius. “I thought I wasn't prepared for the pass, but then I reached it and I was just trying to hit the target.
"When it went in, my feelings were all over the place. First, I was a bit in shock I think, and then I was scared that I was offside. I'm just really happy and proud of what we have achieved. These are the moments that you play for and the games we all dream about.”
Before McCabe headed for the team bus, extratime.com asked the Ireland captain when we might see her ahead of next Friday’s UEFA Nations League game in Türkiye.
“I don't know when you will see me in Turkey but you will see me there,” McCabe assured. “With the Nations League, it's still such an important two games for us. We want to try to top the group. We know, it's a difficult task, but yeah, right now I'm just enjoying this moment. We'll see when I get to Turkey. See you on match day minus one maybe!”
And with that there was a shout of “let the celebration begin” from McCabe and off she went to join her teammates – the new European champions.
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— extratime.com (@extratime.com) 24 May 2025 at 19:08