Katie McCabe interview: Champions League glory, Euros hurt and 'not just feeding the English league'
‘We need to take care of what we’ve got over here’ – International captain says Irish football needs to be more self sufficient to avoid being ‘left behind’.
IT’S JUST AFTER 8am in a Dublin city centre hotel, as Katie McCabe sits down with a small number of media outlets, including The 42.
The Ireland captain and Arsenal champions League winner is home for a visit to Children’s Health Ireland Crumlin, excited to show her European medal to the kids. “If I can cheer one of the kids up, it would be really special,” she smiles.
Katie McCabe with patient Millie at Crumlin Children's Hospital after this interview. SPORTSFILE.
SPORTSFILE.
There’s plenty to talk about, from that historic success in Lisbon, to watching Euro 2025 from afar and women and girls’ football in Ireland.
*****
It’s a while since we’ve asked any Irish player, male or female, this, Katie, but where do you keep your Champions League medal?
“It’s upstairs in the room at the minute. I’ve locked the room, bolted the door! Look, it’s so special. It’s even surreal kind of opening it back up after the summer, the few weeks off.
“I spoke about it kind of after the final initially, but I was wanting to be a part of that group, that Irish group that have won a Chamois League medal. And I’ve always, since I was young, aspired to be like Yvonne [Tracey], Ciara [Grant] and Emma [Byrne].
“I see that photo of them with the tricolour around their back and the Champions League trophy in their hand. And when we won, I went and found the tricolour as well because I was like, ‘I want a photo like that’. For me, it’s important to have the flag with me to show young girls in Ireland how proud I am to be Irish, just to kind of hold that with me, I suppose.”
McCabe celebrating her Champions League win with Arsenal. Jose Breton / INPHO
Jose Breton / INPHO / INPHO
Ciara Grant, Emma Byrne and Yvonne Tracy celebrate with the Uefa Women's Cup in 2007. Ireland Football / Sportsfile.
Ireland Football / Sportsfile. / Sportsfile.
The left-back talks about the endless “love and support” and how her phone was hopping with messages from famous people and sports stars, to former teammates at Raheny United and the Kilnamanagh community, which her mother, Sharon, keeps updated on Facebook.
The big question: What were the celebrations like?
“It was just surreal. Everyone’s ecstatic. You’re running into people at the celebrations post-game back in the hotel. And then obviously it carried onto the trophy lift back in London where if you’d have told me 10 years ago I’d be standing outside the Emirates with 10,000 people after picking up a Champions League, I wouldn’t have believed you because the growth of the game.
“For us to share that moment and give the fans that day to enjoy . . . and I guess the bragging rights of still being the only English club to win the Champions League.”
McCabe was front and centre of the celebrations in London. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
McCabe mentions seeing former players on punditry duty in the immediate aftermath. Emma Byrne was one of the many, and they shared a lovely moment, McCabe jumping into her arms for a hug.
“Emma Byrne has been a special part of my career,” she says, their connection well-documented from role model, to team-mate at Ireland and Arsenal, and now coach in the international set-up.
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The conversation then moves to Ireland.
Were you able to watch the Euros and enjoy them, or was there a bit of regret there?
“Not regret. I think for us, we were disappointed and I think everyone could see how hurt we were that we didn’t get over the line at the end of last year. And then the transition period with Carla [Ward] coming in.
“Honestly, I didn’t watch the start of it because I was just trying to switch off and kind of refresh. But then towards the knockout stages and semi-final, final, I watched a couple of the games. It’s always tough because as a player you want to be there, having had the experience of the World Cup, you’ve got a taste of it.
“So for a tournament to be going on and being so close/away from it, it was a tough one to take for sure. We’ve dissected it and digested it and we need to just keep pushing forward now. Our next focus is obviously Belgium in October.”
She’s asked about Carla Ward next.
“I think it’s still transitioning. I think when you’ve got a new coach, it takes time . . . I don’t want to speak on behalf of her, but from our discussions, I’m sure she’s seen a lot and learnt a lot about the squad and players individually over the course of the last few months. I think it’s really beneficial for her to see that, so we can get a good steer on how we’re going to be successful together moving forward because both of our ambition is to qualify for that World Cup.”
McCabe disagrees with Carla Ward's 'verge of burnout' comment. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
She mentions “big gaps to fill” following the retirements of Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell and Julie-Ann Russell, and says, “It’s time for people to step up.”
“If I can get to where they were, I’d be so proud,” McCabe adds, two Irish caps off her 100th as her 30th birthday nears in September.
There follows another interesting question.
I know you’ve plenty of years left in you, but after missing out on the Euros, does it start to register with you that there’s not an infinite amount of chances to qualify for major tournaments?
“No, it’s funny as the years go on you think you’ll be young forever and there’s always just going to be a next one and a next one, then they start to die down as you get older.
“Yes, it’s a transition period, but for me, I still have the hunger and desire to represent my country and be part of that, and have a good steer on how we can take the team forward and demand standards out of everybody.”
Belgium are next in focus for Ireland’s Uefa Nations League A/B relegation play-off in October, and McCabe points to their “fantastic Euros”. She was impressed by them and Italy, in particular, Andrea Soncin’s dark horses going all the way to the semi-final where back to back champions England squeezed by in extra time.
“It’s fantastic to see with the Italian side, the level of investment they have in the domestic game back there and how many players are actually playing back in Italy
“You’ve seen the quality in that Italian side and the determination. And it’s not just kind of hit and hope. They’ve got good structure, they’re good on the ball, they’re technical and they’ve got a real game plan. It’s why they obviously got to the semi-finals, because they had a clear process throughout the tournament.”
The spotlight then shifts to England, and ultimately, women and girls’ football in Ireland.
McCabe has a bit to get off her chest.
Could England winning potentially benefit us on these shores?
“The only benefit England have for winning is for themselves and their youth structures, their academy structures, their leagues.
McCabe with Denise O'Sullivan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“For us, I think it’s been 10 years since I last played in the Women’s National League and I’d love to see continued investment, obviously from a senior level, but also the structures underneath. For me, the jump from 19s to seniors, I think we need to bridge that gap somehow. With the amount of players that I see drop off, they might not be quite ready to make the senior team at 18, 19, but you don’t want to lose them, you want to still keep them in a system where they feel they are continuing to gain experience and to learn, to maybe see what it’s like to be then a senior player, whether that’s a 21s or 23s structure.
“Obviously England have that level of investment through the FA and through investing in their league over the last 10 years since I’ve been there. It’s gotten better and better and better. I don’t want us to just keep feeding to the English league. I think for us we need to take care of what we’ve got over here.
“In saying that, we have seen big growth in the level of young girls and grassroots level. I know the FAI are doing a lot, but we don’t want to be left behind. We need to keep doing more. In my opinion, I think that structure between 19s and the senior level is really key, so we don’t continue to lose players. Maybe it’s the Gaelic football, maybe they stop playing, but it’s a big issue for me.”
It’s understood a developmental U23s league is in talks, while calls are heightening for an international team to bridge the gap between U19 and senior.
“I think that would be the end goal,” McCabe says. “The starting process would be to look at how we function as through Munster, Leinster, the four provinces. Then structure it into a development squad. We used to have it.”
She speaks positively of home-based training sessions, which were introduced by Colin Bell and continued, to a lesser extent by Vera Pauw.
“I think you need to look at that.
“If we’re comparing it to similar sized nations, Scotland, Wales, I feel like we can really establish ourselves in that department. We’ve got so much quality.
“Ireland is a big sporting nation. The eyes are on the women’s game now. For me, I see it at the Emirates. You’ve got so many girls coming over to support the team – up in Tallaght, down in Cork, all over the country.”
For many, McCabe is their hero. Just like Emma Byrne was for her all those years back.
McCabe with patients, from left, Millie, Nikki, Lilly and Grace, at Crumlin Children's Hospital. SPORTSFILE.
SPORTSFILE.
After a hectic 2024/25 season — she played the most ever minutes in a Uefa Women’s club campaign and was an ever-present in the WSL — McCabe is ready to go again after a well-needed break.
She missed Ireland’s friendlies against USA last month, with Ward saying McCabe was “on the verge of burnout,” a comment the skipper disagrees with. She’s feeling good physically and mentally, and ready for the madness to begin once again.
“I wasn’t on the verge of burnout. I could have played three days later. I just chose to enjoy the break. It wasn’t necessary for me to travel to the USA. But I feel great. I feel good. I was happy in the decision I took. I was supported by Carla.
“It was nice to be able to switch off and refocus, reset and recharge the batteries. I’m now obviously about a week or two into pre-season and ready to get going again. I think it’s going to be an exciting year.
“We’ve got the Champions League trophy to defend. We want to keep pushing on all fronts and all competitions with Arsenal as well. I’m feeling really good and ready to have another big push this year.”
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
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Katie McCabe interview: Champions League glory, Euros hurt and 'not just feeding the English league'
IT’S JUST AFTER 8am in a Dublin city centre hotel, as Katie McCabe sits down with a small number of media outlets, including The 42.
The Ireland captain and Arsenal champions League winner is home for a visit to Children’s Health Ireland Crumlin, excited to show her European medal to the kids. “If I can cheer one of the kids up, it would be really special,” she smiles.
There’s plenty to talk about, from that historic success in Lisbon, to watching Euro 2025 from afar and women and girls’ football in Ireland.
*****
It’s a while since we’ve asked any Irish player, male or female, this, Katie, but where do you keep your Champions League medal?
“It’s upstairs in the room at the minute. I’ve locked the room, bolted the door! Look, it’s so special. It’s even surreal kind of opening it back up after the summer, the few weeks off.
“I spoke about it kind of after the final initially, but I was wanting to be a part of that group, that Irish group that have won a Chamois League medal. And I’ve always, since I was young, aspired to be like Yvonne [Tracey], Ciara [Grant] and Emma [Byrne].
“I see that photo of them with the tricolour around their back and the Champions League trophy in their hand. And when we won, I went and found the tricolour as well because I was like, ‘I want a photo like that’. For me, it’s important to have the flag with me to show young girls in Ireland how proud I am to be Irish, just to kind of hold that with me, I suppose.”
The left-back talks about the endless “love and support” and how her phone was hopping with messages from famous people and sports stars, to former teammates at Raheny United and the Kilnamanagh community, which her mother, Sharon, keeps updated on Facebook.
The big question: What were the celebrations like?
“It was just surreal. Everyone’s ecstatic. You’re running into people at the celebrations post-game back in the hotel. And then obviously it carried onto the trophy lift back in London where if you’d have told me 10 years ago I’d be standing outside the Emirates with 10,000 people after picking up a Champions League, I wouldn’t have believed you because the growth of the game.
“For us to share that moment and give the fans that day to enjoy . . . and I guess the bragging rights of still being the only English club to win the Champions League.”
McCabe mentions seeing former players on punditry duty in the immediate aftermath. Emma Byrne was one of the many, and they shared a lovely moment, McCabe jumping into her arms for a hug.
“Emma Byrne has been a special part of my career,” she says, their connection well-documented from role model, to team-mate at Ireland and Arsenal, and now coach in the international set-up.
The conversation then moves to Ireland.
Were you able to watch the Euros and enjoy them, or was there a bit of regret there?
“Not regret. I think for us, we were disappointed and I think everyone could see how hurt we were that we didn’t get over the line at the end of last year. And then the transition period with Carla [Ward] coming in.
“Honestly, I didn’t watch the start of it because I was just trying to switch off and kind of refresh. But then towards the knockout stages and semi-final, final, I watched a couple of the games. It’s always tough because as a player you want to be there, having had the experience of the World Cup, you’ve got a taste of it.
“So for a tournament to be going on and being so close/away from it, it was a tough one to take for sure. We’ve dissected it and digested it and we need to just keep pushing forward now. Our next focus is obviously Belgium in October.”
She’s asked about Carla Ward next.
“I think it’s still transitioning. I think when you’ve got a new coach, it takes time . . . I don’t want to speak on behalf of her, but from our discussions, I’m sure she’s seen a lot and learnt a lot about the squad and players individually over the course of the last few months. I think it’s really beneficial for her to see that, so we can get a good steer on how we’re going to be successful together moving forward because both of our ambition is to qualify for that World Cup.”
She mentions “big gaps to fill” following the retirements of Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell and Julie-Ann Russell, and says, “It’s time for people to step up.”
“If I can get to where they were, I’d be so proud,” McCabe adds, two Irish caps off her 100th as her 30th birthday nears in September.
There follows another interesting question.
I know you’ve plenty of years left in you, but after missing out on the Euros, does it start to register with you that there’s not an infinite amount of chances to qualify for major tournaments?
“No, it’s funny as the years go on you think you’ll be young forever and there’s always just going to be a next one and a next one, then they start to die down as you get older.
“Yes, it’s a transition period, but for me, I still have the hunger and desire to represent my country and be part of that, and have a good steer on how we can take the team forward and demand standards out of everybody.”
Belgium are next in focus for Ireland’s Uefa Nations League A/B relegation play-off in October, and McCabe points to their “fantastic Euros”. She was impressed by them and Italy, in particular, Andrea Soncin’s dark horses going all the way to the semi-final where back to back champions England squeezed by in extra time.
“It’s fantastic to see with the Italian side, the level of investment they have in the domestic game back there and how many players are actually playing back in Italy
“You’ve seen the quality in that Italian side and the determination. And it’s not just kind of hit and hope. They’ve got good structure, they’re good on the ball, they’re technical and they’ve got a real game plan. It’s why they obviously got to the semi-finals, because they had a clear process throughout the tournament.”
The spotlight then shifts to England, and ultimately, women and girls’ football in Ireland.
McCabe has a bit to get off her chest.
Could England winning potentially benefit us on these shores?
“The only benefit England have for winning is for themselves and their youth structures, their academy structures, their leagues.
“For us, I think it’s been 10 years since I last played in the Women’s National League and I’d love to see continued investment, obviously from a senior level, but also the structures underneath. For me, the jump from 19s to seniors, I think we need to bridge that gap somehow. With the amount of players that I see drop off, they might not be quite ready to make the senior team at 18, 19, but you don’t want to lose them, you want to still keep them in a system where they feel they are continuing to gain experience and to learn, to maybe see what it’s like to be then a senior player, whether that’s a 21s or 23s structure.
“Obviously England have that level of investment through the FA and through investing in their league over the last 10 years since I’ve been there. It’s gotten better and better and better. I don’t want us to just keep feeding to the English league. I think for us we need to take care of what we’ve got over here.
“In saying that, we have seen big growth in the level of young girls and grassroots level. I know the FAI are doing a lot, but we don’t want to be left behind. We need to keep doing more. In my opinion, I think that structure between 19s and the senior level is really key, so we don’t continue to lose players. Maybe it’s the Gaelic football, maybe they stop playing, but it’s a big issue for me.”
It’s understood a developmental U23s league is in talks, while calls are heightening for an international team to bridge the gap between U19 and senior.
“I think that would be the end goal,” McCabe says. “The starting process would be to look at how we function as through Munster, Leinster, the four provinces. Then structure it into a development squad. We used to have it.”
She speaks positively of home-based training sessions, which were introduced by Colin Bell and continued, to a lesser extent by Vera Pauw.
“I think you need to look at that.
“If we’re comparing it to similar sized nations, Scotland, Wales, I feel like we can really establish ourselves in that department. We’ve got so much quality.
“Ireland is a big sporting nation. The eyes are on the women’s game now. For me, I see it at the Emirates. You’ve got so many girls coming over to support the team – up in Tallaght, down in Cork, all over the country.”
For many, McCabe is their hero. Just like Emma Byrne was for her all those years back.
After a hectic 2024/25 season — she played the most ever minutes in a Uefa Women’s club campaign and was an ever-present in the WSL — McCabe is ready to go again after a well-needed break.
She missed Ireland’s friendlies against USA last month, with Ward saying McCabe was “on the verge of burnout,” a comment the skipper disagrees with. She’s feeling good physically and mentally, and ready for the madness to begin once again.
“I wasn’t on the verge of burnout. I could have played three days later. I just chose to enjoy the break. It wasn’t necessary for me to travel to the USA. But I feel great. I feel good. I was happy in the decision I took. I was supported by Carla.
“It was nice to be able to switch off and refocus, reset and recharge the batteries. I’m now obviously about a week or two into pre-season and ready to get going again. I think it’s going to be an exciting year.
“We’ve got the Champions League trophy to defend. We want to keep pushing on all fronts and all competitions with Arsenal as well. I’m feeling really good and ready to have another big push this year.”
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
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