How Women’s Champions League football inspired Jenna Nighswonger’s move to Arsenal

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·22 marzo 2025

How Women’s Champions League football inspired Jenna Nighswonger’s move to Arsenal

Among the many factors that convinced Arsenal Women’s winter recruit, Jenna Nighswonger, to move to Europe and join Arsenal was the allure of Champions League football.

While speaking on the Women’s Game MIB podcast, the Arsenal full-back shared her thoughts on the irresistible charm of playing in the Champions League.

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Samantha Mewis (the podcast’s host) asked her:

“Can you explain the allure of the Champions League? Why is it considered the top club tournament in the world?”

To which she responded:

“Yes, I grew up watching the men’s Champions League, and it was always the best matches. My dad would even pull me out of school occasionally, claiming I had a doctor’s appointment, if there was a game we really wanted to watch at midday.

“When you grow up watching those kinds of matches, you just naturally want to be part of them as well. I think now that the opportunity is here, it’s really exciting to be involved in such a historic tournament.”

“When you grow up watching those kinds of games you … also want to be involved in those as well” Jenna Nighswonger on what it means to play in the Champions League‼️
– giovedì 20 marzo 2025

By now, you might be wondering: had Arsenal not qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League knockouts—if there were no Champions League football in the second half of the season—would she still have joined them? That’s a question for another day I guess.

That said, it’s great to see the pull of the Champions League. Arsenal Women must now make it their mission to qualify for the tournament regularly. Jenna has hinted that consistent participation would make it considerably easier for them to attract talent from the NWSL.

As for the Olympic gold medallist’s Women’s Champions League dream, she unfortunately didn’t make her debut on Tuesday night (which was her first UWCL outing). Coach Renee Slegers didn’t grant her a chance in the Gunners’ controversial 2-0 first-leg loss to Real Madrid at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium.

However, as Arsenal Women prepare to welcome Real Madrid to the Emirates Stadium—a perfect stage for Champions League football—Jenna will surely be hoping to make her debut in the competition. And hopefully it should be a much better state of affairs at the Emirates Stadium, in terms of weather, pitch condition and results..

She will undoubtedly want to prove her worth, helping Arsenal turn the tie around and achieve the remarkable feat of coming back from a 2 goal deficit and winning a Champions League tie.

How do you think our Gunners next Women’s Champions League outing is going to go? I think we might just be able to play Real Madrid off the pitch at N5.. Ever hopeful..

Michelle M

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