Katie McCabe on Arsenal celebrations, recovery and the search for consistency

Katie McCabe has been reflecting on Arsenal’s Champions League celebrations after the club’s win over Barcelona, in which she was part of a back four that didn’t concede a foul in the final. She featured prominently in the players’ afterparty and at the celebration outside the Emirates Stadium, leading fans in a chant and singing Stina Blackstenius’s song to the tune of Karma Chameleon.

Eight months on she said "I worked so hard for that moment" and admitted "I can’t sing it ever again." McCabe insisted "I do remember everything" and six days after the final returned to the Republic of Ireland squad, playing the full match and earning player-of-the-match in a 2-1 win; she said "I was back in the green zone where I needed to be." She has broken the record for minutes played across a Champions League season and credits a teenage leg break with shaping her focus on conditioning, sleep, nutrition and recovery, noting that at Arsenal "we have the facilities and the staff around to support that." She also said she has "invested in a sauna" and described the work to chase small improvements.

McCabe acknowledged the reputation for being fiery—she has the most yellow cards in WSL history and the highest number in a season—but said "I’m very passionate" and that taking that away would not be her.

Key Topics

Sports, Katie Mccabe, Arsenal, Champions League, Women's Super League, Aston Villa