Whatever It Takes

Lotte Wubben-Moy, England

For the UEFA Women's EURO 2022, Goal Click collaborated with twelve international women’s footballers from across the competing Women’s Euro nations. The players, from Netherlands and Denmark to Portugal and Switzerland, documented their football lives in the weeks leading up to the tournament – finishing club seasons, playing in cup finals, national team training camps, international friendlies, and even the first matches of the Euros.

Lotte Wubben-Moy plays for Arsenal and the Lionesses.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your football journey?

My name is Lotte Wubben-Moy and I am a professional footballer for Arsenal Women and the Lionesses. Born and raised in east London, my introduction to football was on the streets and in the cages. I played with boys for a lot of my youth, but also a few girls too. We never had too many obstacles to playing on the streets because it was a bit of a free for all. Where there were obstacles, however, was the accessibility to girls-only football teams.

Towards the end of primary school, I started a girls’ football team in the hope it would encourage other girls to join me in enjoying football. It was from this team that I was scouted for my first proper team, West Ham, and from here everything took off. I went from West Ham to Millwall, and then to Arsenal where I turned down a professional contract aged 17 to play and study in the US.

As a secondary school kid, I probably spent more time in the car, travelling to training or matches, than in my own bed. As for all the friends’ parties and family events I missed, they were choices I made at the time, and with hindsight I realise I am reaping the benefits of those choices now.

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning?

You can see a lot of my Arsenal teammates - most of these photos were taken at our training ground, London Colney and at the Emirates. Then there are also a few of my England teammates during our Euros prep camps at the national football centre, St George’s Park.

I wanted to show something a bit different, abstract, and unpredictable. So often you see the same photos on Instagram of action shots or selfies.

The photo in the gym is my favourite. The way the background and foreground are so perfectly aligned, it makes a great comparison to the parallel between the work we do in the gym and then transferring that onto the pitch. Lots of footballers hate the gym, but in my opinion, it is a necessity if someone wants to get to the top level. Clearly the player pictured here is enjoying a chat more than the grind - though her silhouette is fab!

What are the current opportunities for female footballers in England?

I am not going to answer this question, as it is like checking on a cake before it has even been put in the oven. Because after this summer, (I hope) my answer will be out of date. There is so much to come from women’s football, watch the space.

What does representing your country mean to you? What are your personal ambitions for the future?

Representing my country is for the people, my friends and family, all the women I have grown up playing football with. Everything we have been through, the culmination of that…

When I put that England shirt on, it does justice to all the hard work and hours we put in together from U15s to the senior level. A rush of memories come back to me every time I hear the national anthem, and then the minute the anthem stops, I know it is an opportunity to make more memories.

I hope for the future to be full of silverware, but either way I know that I will learn and experience so much more, with what I know is a wonderful group of strong women.

What is the future for English women's football?

I am hopeful that the Women’s Euro will leave a legacy that lasts for generations, but for me that legacy should start with the next generation. Kids need to have access to football in schools. I hope that by showcasing the talent, excitement, and passion of women’s football at the top level, it will act as a catalyst for young girls and boys wanting to play football too. The next step then is to provide the opportunity to play. Whatever it takes: investment, time, energy, it needs to be done.

As for the future of the game, who knows where we will find ourselves. The rate at which it is growing, it leaves even the most ambitious ideas seeming quite bland.