From ball girl to England hero - who is rising star Agyemang?
Agyemang has now scored two senior goals in three international appearances.
- Published
Before Euro 2025 the name Michelle Agyemang would have been a new one to many casual football fans.
However, the 19-year-old is making quite the name for herself at the tournament in Switzerland.
The Arsenal forward, who was a ball girl in one of Sarina Wiegman's first matches as England boss, scored a crucial equaliser after coming off the bench in the quarter-final against Sweden on Thursday as the Lionesses kept their trophy defence alive.
When Wiegman included the striker in the tournament squad, she predicted she would "bring something different".
She has done just that. The goal against Sweden followed a four-minute cameo against France where England almost pulled off an unlikely comeback and nobody on the team had more touches in the opposition box than Agyemang's five.
Former England captain Steph Houghton told BBC Radio 5 Live that Agyemang brought a "different dimension" against Sweden.
She provided a physical approach and was given a yellow card but continued to be aggressive and put defenders under pressure.
Her impact is perhaps no surprise though, with Agyemang having taken just 41 seconds to score on her England debut in April when she thundered the ball into the top corner against Belgium.
As Agyemang's story enters a new chapter, here is a look at her career so far.
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Joining Arsenal at the age of six
Agyemang signed her first Arsenal professional contract in May 2024
Agyemang is a lifelong Arsenal fan and joined the club's academy at the age of six, after her father, a grassroots football coach, secured her a trial.
She initially played as a defender but developed into a forward.
Agyemang played through the age categories and moved into the first-team set-up, making her debut in 2022 aged 16.
Former Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie told the Women's Football Weekly podcast Agyemang has become a natural goalscorer.
"She is unreal," said Beattie. "She was an academy player when I was at Arsenal and she used to come up to training and was sometimes involved in match squads."
Beattie said that Arsenal's players quickly saw the type of finishing quality Agyemang showed against Belgium.
"I kid you not - she would do that in training," Beattie said. "She is an incredible box player, an unbelievable finisher. She doesn't need more than one or two touches, exactly what you saw against Belgium."
After a handful of first-team appearances, Agyemang was loaned to Women's Championship side Watford for the 2023-24 season.
Agyemang scored five goals in 10 appearances at Watford, and Arsenal rewarded her with a first professional contract.
The 19-year-old joined Brighton on loan in September and scored five goals in 22 appearances.
Lionesses journey
Agyemang's rise through the England ranks has reflected her growth at club level.
She has made 25 age-group appearances for the national team - from the under-16s to the under-23s.
In just a few days in April, she went from scoring for the under-19s in their win against Austria to producing a stunning cameo for the senior side, which led to her Euros call-up.
The initial England seniors chance may not have come along had it not been for a minor injury suffered by Arsenal team-mate Alessia Russo.
Agyemang told BBC Sport in April that she had experienced "a crazy 10 days".
"Coming with the under-19s, playing in the Euros round two, coming over here for the seniors, it has been a really good experience and I'm really grateful for the opportunity," she said.
"Both the team and the coaches, everyone has been really welcoming. I've felt the love from everyone and you can see it from the performance on the pitch I felt like myself and confident.
"This is the level I want to play at, week in week out, at club as well, making sure I do everything I can to get back here again and help the team get ready for the Euros as well."
'She brings something different' - what did others say?
'England are level!' - Lionesses score twice in two minutes to keep Euros hopes alive
Wiegman was full of praise for Agyemang after her goalscoring debut off the bench against Belgium.
"That goal was just incredible. The composure, the first touch and the second touch. For her, it was really nice that she comes on and within a minute she has the moment," she said.
That praise has continued.
When head coach Wiegman was asked whether introducing Agyemang against Sweden was brave, she said: "This is basically why we selected her.
"We know she hasn't been in our environment for a long period of time, but the moment she came in she did really well and she brings something different.
"She has shown that in training, against Belgium, against France. She's so strong and then she scores a goal too. She's shown that she can do that."
England captain Leah Williamson said recently: "I remember the first time she played because she flattened me in training. I was too slow on the ball.
"I gave her a bit of stick about it, but in my head I thought: 'You need to move the ball quicker, because she's got something about her.'
"My first impression was that she let me know she was there, which I love."
England right-back and Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze added: "She just runs into people and bodies them because she's so strong.
"She's so sweet and unassuming as a person, but then on the pitch she's probably one of my favourites to play against because I can run into her dead hard!
"She likes to give it back. She's been told [by Wiegman] that she needs to go a little bit easier but I said: 'No, just keep it up Micha, I prefer it, it makes it harder for us.'"
She was the little-known addition, but Agyemang is becoming the trusted wildcard.