Leah Williamson: An Arsenal journey from mascot to Champions League winner | OneFootball

Arsenal is home to many things — Gunnersaurus, Win the dog and Leah Williamson, to name just a few.

Leah Williamson’s story is the kind that inspires a generation. Her journey from an eager nine-year-old mascot walking onto the pitch in an Arsenal kit to lifting the Champions League trophy as a key part of the senior women’s team is one to tell for years to come.

Dreams Begin: Leah Williamson walks hand-in-hand with her heroes

In many great sporting stories, there’s a magical starting point — a spark that sets everything in motion. For Leah Williamson, that spark was ignited when she was chosen to be a mascot for the Arsenal Women’s first team in the 2007 final of the UEFA Women’s Cup.

With wide eyes and a shy smile, she got to walk hand-in-hand with the players she admired. This was a glimpse into her future. She didn’t want to just support Arsenal, she wanted to play for them. She wanted to win with them.

Academy Ascent: From Milton Keynes to North London

Williamson’s love for football started long before she was a mascot. Growing up in Milton Keynes with a passionate football family, she played wherever and whenever she could. Her mum, who also used to play, saw her talent early on and encouraged her passion.

Embed from Getty Images

In 2006, at the age of nine, Williamson joined the Arsenal Centre of Excellence, where the journey truly began. The transition from playing for fun to training regularly with a professional academy required dedication and determination.

For more than a decade, she has worn the famous red and white of Arsenal. As players have come and gone, as managers changed and trophies were won or lost, Williamson remained a constant, rising through the ranks with quiet confidence.

Stepping into the Arsenal First Team

In 2014, at 17 years old, Williamson made her senior debut for Arsenal. She came on as a substitute in the 81st minute to replace Rachel Yankey in Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Birmingham City in the Champions League quarter-final. This was the start of a new chapter in Williamson’s career, one where she would establish herself as a vital part of one of England’s most successful football clubs.

Initially used as a midfielder, Williamson showed her versatility by transitioning into a centre-back. She is a brick wall at the heart of the defence. The move into the backline is one that has defined her career so far. Her composure, ability to read the game and her leadership from the back are some of her trademarks.

Embed from Getty Images

Since stepping into the first team, many trophies have followed. Williamson has won the Women’s Super League title and lifted the FA Cup and Continental Cup. Her loyalty to the club has never wavered. Despite offers to move abroad, she has remained committed to the team that shaped her.

Champions League glory

In recent years, Arsenal have pushed to reclaim their dominance in Europe. Williamson has played a central role in that mission. In the 2022/23 Champions League, the Gunners reached the semi-final, delivering dramatic performances and showing immense character along the way. Though they narrowly missed out on the final after a 4-5 defeat to Wolfsburg on aggregate, the campaign showed their intentions.

Arsenal missed out on Champions League football in the 2023/24 season after being knocked out in the qualifying rounds, following a penalty shootout loss to Paris FC. Williamson showed her support from the stands after tearing her ACL and missing out on contributing.

Embed from Getty Images

In a moment that fulfilled a lifelong dream, Leah Williamson lifted the Champions League trophy with Arsenal on May 24th, 2025, after beating reigning champions Barcelona. Williamson etched her name into the history books, not only as a homegrown talent but as a European champion. Through resilience, humility and fearless ambition, Williamson has shown a generation that no dream is too distant and no stage is too great.

Her legacy is still being written, but she already stands as a beacon for every young girl who dares to believe they can go from the sidelines to the spotlight — and lead from the front.

Building a lasting legacy

Arsenal have shown they can once again compete with the very best in Europe. Williamson is a player who once walked onto the pitch as a mascot, and has now helped her beloved side to Champions League glory — the ultimate full-circle moment.

Embed from Getty Images

While Leah Williamson has already achieved more than many dream of — from lifting the Champions League trophy to captaining her country to European victory — her journey is far from over. With every match she plays, every challenge she overcomes and every young girl she inspires, Williamson continues to shape the future of women’s football.

She stands not only as a champion on the pitch but as a role model off it. Proving that dreams, no matter how bold, can become reality with courage, hard work and heart. And yet as she looks to the future, one thing is certain: her story is still unfolding.

Related articles from Her Football Hub: