Arsenal Women are Champions of Europe.

This will take a long, long time to properly sink in.

Where to begin? With the football, first. Arsenal 1-0 Barcelona. A win over Barcelona, a clean sheet against Barcelona.

Barcelona and Lyon have won every Champions League between them from 2015-16 all the way up to last season, and Arsenal have beaten them both to claim European glory.

What stunning defensive fortitude from the Gunners. Barcelona had their chances, but the art of Arsenal’s defending was in preventing shots, sniffing out danger in the nick of time. Leah Williamson and Steph Catley, against a team of goalscoring machines, timing every tackle and block to perfection. 

This was an Arsenal masterclass on an evening where perfection was required, and perfection was in glorious order.

Stina Blackstenius has now scored winning goals in Arsenal’s last three cup finals. The Swede is second-choice to Alessia Russo now, but has gone from an Arsenal cult hero to an Arsenal legend overnight. 

Brought on alongside Beth Mead, the two combined for a historic goal. What composure from Mead to weight this clever pass and catch the defence off guard, and what a finish from Blackstenius.

Occasions like this make fans stop and reflect, and consider the stories within the story. 

Mead wrote courageously this week in the Players Tribune about the loss of her mother June to cancer in 2023, and was able to lift the trophy with her father in front of the travelling Arsenal fans, who have always had her back.

Lina Hurtig made her final Arsenal appearance, coming off the bench to win the Champions League. The 29-year-old has had a luckless spell with the Gunners, missing swathes of football due to injury and personal reasons, but signed off her time in North London as a European champion.

Amanda Ilestedt will also say goodbye, as will Teyah Goldie, who was with the fans on Pink Street on Saturday afternoon ahead of kick-off.

What a shift in Lisbon, and all season long, from Caitlin Foord. Mariona Caldentey made the bold move from Catalonia to the WSL, and showed Barcelona exactly why she did. 

Lotte Wubben-Moy came on to close out the game, replacing her former North Carolina Tar Heels teammate Alessia Russo- both childhood Gooners.

And to Kim Little. Who covered every blade of grass in the 28 degree heat, won every header, and delivered the team talk that led to Champions League glory. 

The ever-unassuming Scot walked into the post-match press conference with a gold medal around her neck and a shy smile. She joined Arsenal in 2008, a year after the club’s first European triumph.

Speaking of which, also ended 1-0 to The Arsenal. Over two legs, against Swedish giants (at the time) Umea, under Vic Akers, who had lunch with Renée Slegers in the days leading up to the final. Other members of the Class of 2007 also joined.

Slegers has pulled off one of the greatest managerial achievements of all time. Interim manager in October, permanent head coach in January, Champions League winner in May. She will not want the credit, she will not want this to be about her, but she will never have to buy a drink in North London again. 

Everything that Arsenal have built off the pitch has led to this. The sold-out Emirates Stadiums, the ever-growing away followings, this connection between the players and the supporters. And this incredible community of fans that has grown and grown organically, as people from all backgrounds find a place of belonging, a place where everyone can be themself, and feel part of something so much bigger.

In Lisbon, N5 and around the world, they came together. Arsenal Women are European champions.