England’s Michelle Agyemang has an aura about her – you simply know one thing particular is coming
The Athletic has reside protection of England vs. Spain ultimate on the 2025 UEFA Ladies’s Euros.
Watching again Michelle Agyemang’s England debut in opposition to Belgium within the UEFA Nations League on April 8 is a wholly totally different expertise now than it was once I noticed that match reside.
Wanting again on it, I really feel like I used to be watching a film. Particularly, seeing that quick flash of a scene initially of the movie, which you realize is vital, however you simply don’t know but the way it all matches collectively. The sort that makes you say, “Oh! I get it,” when the credit begin to roll.
And though the story just isn’t but over for England, who face Spain within the European Championship ultimate on Sunday in Basel, the image is turning into clear.
That April night time in Leuven, 42 seconds into her first look for the senior nationwide staff, the 19-year-old scored to earn her ticket to Euro 2025. And head coach Sarina Wiegman grew to become soccer’s Steven Spielberg — an instantaneous foreshadowing professional.
England are on this ultimate due to Wiegman’s ways; her capacity to shift formation within the ultimate section of the sport and adapt to adversity. An enormous a part of that flexibility is Agyemang, who has scored late in each knockout-stage matches to maintain the holders’ title defence alive: an 81st-minute equaliser in opposition to Sweden to assist safe an eventual penalty shootout win, and once more within the semi-final in opposition to Italy by making it 1-1 within the sixth minute of added time.
However should you watched that Nations League match in opposition to Belgium, you shouldn’t be stunned. She and Wiegman confirmed us that day precisely what they may do.
Earlier than that Belgium recreation in April, Arsenal academy graduate Agyemang had made simply three Ladies’s Tremendous League begins, all whereas on mortgage at Brighton. So it was actually what she did in that second, producing a little bit of magic when England wanted it most, that secured her a spot within the Euros squad forward of extra skilled choices akin to Nikita Parris and Fran Kirby.
She will be able to create one thing out of nothing, and that’s what England want in video games. I consider that singular second that made five-time main match finalist coach Wiegman assume, “Wow. That child can do one thing that no one else can do. We’d want that in a few moments this summer season.” And he or she’s proved that proper.
It begins with Agyemang’s imaginative and prescient and what she brings to the sport earlier than she’s even on the ball. That day in opposition to Belgium, when the nook goes in, she already has the great physicality to push the defender marking her off.
She’s clearly superb aerially, however I believe this little push-off… bang examine. If that fell to her, she would have had the additional yard.
She then reacts to go to win the ball again. If she doesn’t try this, her objective by no means comes.
Under is the place you see extra of that pure spatial consciousness. She went right away to peel off the again shoulder. She is now tight, after which creates separation and now she peels… bang.
Agyemang was anticipating that strain from the Belgians.
She goes again on the defender once more and stays in between. It’s that capacity to at all times keep in between. Somebody will get tight, she goes again once more. She’s like a pendulum, swinging forwards and backwards to seek out the half area and free herself from her marker. That could be very spectacular.
On the objective itself, she even has the notice to be on the again shoulder. Her contact and the end that follows are simply calm.
Generally you realize the ball is coming and you’ve got time to land it in your foot, however you may rush it. It’s only a pure calmness and composure throughout that she doesn’t get flustered. It’s additionally an ideal ball in, from Leah Williamson, to seek out Agyemang in that area.
It’s what occurred after that objective which solidified her Euros aircraft ticket for me — and doubtless Wiegman.
Agyemang went and acquired the ball out of the objective, as if to say, ‘Proper, come on. Let’s go.’ This was her debut for England, however to her, it was a recreation that her staff had been 3-1 behind in and so they had simply acquired one again with 9 minutes left. That mentality is there.
That was the aircraft ticket — even encouraging the England followers. Momentum is very large. That, for me, would have been: Tick, tick, tick, tick. You’re going to Switzerland.
From motion to objective to celebration, Agyemang has a present for being in the fitting place on the proper time. It’s not a fluke; it’s her expertise. She has this spatial consciousness, calm and composed underneath strain.
Whereas that objective wasn’t sufficient to salvage the sport in opposition to Belgium, it was the precursor to 2 essential Euros-saving objectives.
What we noticed from Agyemang in opposition to Sweden after which Italy was a participant making the most of not being marked. Nonetheless, she’s at all times competing for the ball.
Agyemang is at all times on the again shoulder. On the cross from Chloe Kelly within the 81st minute of the quarter-final, loads of the hassle comes from Beth Mead; nonetheless, Agyemang finds a technique to be an additional physique within the field and adjusts in actual time. And extra importantly, she shifts her ft effectively.
She’s actually good at setting herself. When Mead heads it, Agyemang remains to be within the air. Then, when Mead wins it, Agyemang adjusts her ft rapidly and finds the ball.
It’s a tidy end. She’s in the fitting place on the proper time, once more.
It was a second England wanted to get the followers concerned once more. The ambiance and power actually modified, and that acquired England by further time and penalties.
Agyemang, like Kelly earlier than her, creates an aura as quickly as she comes on the pitch. Followers, the opposition gamers; all of them know one thing particular is about to observe. And he or she’s created that in her first main match.
That’s why, in opposition to Italy, it felt like there was extra perception when she went on.
She has an unbelievable capacity to learn the place the ball lands. In that semi-final, as soon as once more, she’s not marked. Nonetheless, she is aware of the place the inswinging cross goes.
She is aware of she’s not going to get there, so she anticipates the place the goalkeeper goes to palm it. That isn’t a coincidence; that’s her recreation intelligence.
Seeing that the opposite two gamers are crashing in, she simply hangs again. After which once more, the calmness. She adjusts her ft, doesn’t rush the end, will get the fitting contact. Individuals shouldn’t underestimate that. Different gamers would rush, however that foot motion to get herself set is so good.
There was yet one more little bit of magic left in Agyemang throughout that recreation.
Within the 117th minute, England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton sends a protracted ball excessive, anticipating the place she is going to go. Lots of credit score ought to go to Hampton for difficult Agyemang to make that run. She’s mainly saying, ‘I’ve seen you do it in coaching, now go present us.’
You must applaud the notice and the arrogance of Agyemang to attempt it. Consciousness, confidence, tempo, power, approach, ability. She’s simply straight on it.
Her shot in the end clanked off the crossbar, however the thought was there. May that be one other second teasing what’s to come back for a participant who will likely be round for a lot of extra tournaments with England?
Throughout these Euros, Wiegman introduced Agyemang on within the seventieth minute in opposition to Sweden and the eighty fifth in opposition to Italy.
In each situations, she scored 11 minutes later.
Persons are saying maybe she ought to begin the ultimate tonight, however I wouldn’t change her position. What I’d do is convey her on quite a bit earlier. England are leaving it later and later. There have been the identical requires Alessia Russo to begin at Euro 2022 as an alternative of Ellen White, however Weigman’s plan labored completely then.
At the same time as she does superb stuff, to do it over 90 minutes in a serious ultimate in opposition to the world champions at age 19 is a really massive ask.
Weigman ought to stick to Russo to begin. She’s been phenomenal, too. Agyemang’s position in the intervening time is working — depart it as it’s. Simply don’t depart it as late. Spain preserve the ball quite a bit longer. So if one thing goes mistaken, I believe Wiegman has to vary it just a bit bit earlier.
There’s strain within the position Agyemang has taken, however when it’s your first match, you don’t actually know every thing that’s occurring; you simply roll with it. It’s in your second or third — when there’s extra expectation on you — that issues begin to really feel heavy.
For the primary one, nonetheless, I hope she’s having fun with it as a result of every thing is new and needs to be enjoyable. You’ll be enjoying in a serious ultimate. 4 years in the past, she was throwing the ball onto the pitch as a ball lady at England video games, and now she’s on it as a participant.
You must roll with that narrative — catch the reveal you must have seen coming all alongside and benefit from the present.
(Prime photograph: Harriet Lander/Getty Pictures)