The 77th edition of the SJA British Sports Awards – the longest-established awards of their kind in Britain – will take place on Tuesday, November 11, 2025; for the second consecutive year, the Awards will be announced live on Sky Sports News; SJA members voted to decide the big three prizes on offer; our SJA Academy members made their cases for the awards…
By AMELIE CLAYDON
Cheers echoed around Lisbon as Stina Blackstenius wheeled away towards the corner flag, her winning strike rippling the net.
In that moment, Arsenal Women changed everything. Seventeen years after their first European triumph, they were champions of Europe again.
For a club that helped shape the modern women’s game, this was as much restoration as victory.
Estádio José Alvalade saw Arsenal Women beat Barcelona 1-0 to reclaim the Women’s Champions League on that fateful day in May.
Arsenal’s route to the title was anything but straightforward.
They topped Group C with 15 points from six matches, but the knockout rounds demanded something deeper.
At the Emirates, against Real Madrid, they were two goals down on aggregate. The three-goal comeback arrived in a rush of noise, emotion and belief that seemed to reignite the entire club.
Then came Lyon, serial European champions, and another deficit with a 2-1 loss in London.
Arsenal went to France and delivered their best performance of the season to take the tie 5-3 on aggregate. By the time they reached the final, comebacks had become second nature.
Under Renée Slegers, appointed after Jonas Eidevall’s departure, Arsenal became a side defined by resilience.
They fought through a turbulent start to finish second in the Women’s Super League, pushing Chelsea all the way and still aiming to shake up the WSL and break the monotony of their London rivals.
For Slegers, it was a debut campaign that showed both tactical assurance and emotional intelligence. Her side played with freedom again – aggressive without losing control, attacking with belief that they could hurt anyone in Europe.
The squad responded to her trust, and supporters reconnected with a team that felt unmistakably Arsenal.
The progress extended far beyond the pitch. Arsenal announced that every WSL home game in 2025/26 will be played at Emirates Stadium, reflecting both ambition and the scale of their following.
Crowds in the tens of thousands now fill north London every other week. Once a novelty, now the norm.
Recognition followed. At the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, Arsenal Women were named Women’s Club of the Year, while Slegers was shortlisted for Coach of the Year.
Caldentey, Russo, Kelly, Williamson. Four names in the Women’s Ballon d’Or top ten, four very different players who together tell the story of Arsenal’s new era.
Cultured, clinical, composed and commanding. They did not claim glory domestically, but they won the one that mattered most.
From comeback to comeback, they rediscovered what Arsenal stands for – a blend of style, fight and conviction.
As Blackstenius lifted her arms to the Lisbon sky, the symbolism was clear. Arsenal were back where they belong. Not just contenders, but champions again.
Amelie Claydon is a member of the SJA Academy for media professionals starting their careers. Click here to join.