The story of Michelle Agyemang's rise to the top

It was 3pm on an unsuspecting Sunday in April when it was announced that Alessia Russo had been forced to withdraw from the Lionesses squad after picking up an injury in England’s 5-0 win over Belgium at Ashton Gate. The forward was set to return to Arsenal for assessment.

Taking her place would be Michelle Agyemang, also of the Gunners but currently on a season-long loan to Barclays WSL rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

To many digesting the news, Agyemang was an unknown quantity. A 19 year old who had been plucked from the England women’s under-19s to replace Russo for the return fixture against Belgium in Leuven, but to those within the England setup, she was somebody very much known to the staff.

With the WU19s having already qualified for their own EURO finals in Poland in the summer with a game to spare, Agyemang stepped up to the senior team and the rest, as they say, is history.

“The exciting thing about Michelle is how quick her journey has gone at the top end of the pathway,” highlighted WU19s head coach Lauren Smith. “And equally how much impact she has had at such a young age. This season, she played a really important role with the under-19s in helping us qualify for our EUROs in Poland.

“And then she gets her moment at the end of the season to go into the seniors and make an impact, and that’s exactly what she did in a huge way. That’s what the pathway is there for – to prepare players regardless of age or stage of their career to be ready for the seniors one day.

“Michelle is proof of the seamless approach we have for support and development for our pathway players.”

But instead of heading out to Poland, Agyemang was Switzerland bound with Sarina Wiegman and her team.

A goal 41 seconds into her debut against Belgium appeared to be enough to secure her place on the plane at surface level but it was about much more than that. Despite being someone who played up an age group with the under-23s, Agyemang was physically stronger than her opponents, more athletic and technically skilled, quickly becoming the focal point of the games she played in.

“She just has this ability to do so much with and without the ball,” explained one of Agyemang’s former development coaches, John Griffiths. “She’s such an imposing figure for the opposition to deal with and carries such a persona but importantly without knowing it, which is such a credit to who she is as a player and a person.

“As a young player, she’s curious, she wants to improve all the time and has this unique capability to self-regulate.

“I remember in the U19 EUROs last year, we substituted her at half-time as she picked up a yellow card and her reaction was understandably frustration. But she was able to self-regulate and manage her emotions to just get fully behind the team.

“You could see in that moment she had all the attributes to be a senior professional and senior Lioness.”

Earlier this year, for the first time, the WU23s games were broadcast live on the official England YouTube channel – one of which was the Young Lionesses’ match-up against Germany in Walsall. With just six minutes played, Agyemang broke the deadlock with a stunning strike, bagging a brace later in the game.

⚽️⚽️ Michelle Agyemang ⚽️⚽️

Watch highlights from our U23 #YoungLionesses narrow defeat to Germany in Walsall now 👇

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) February 20, 2025

But the young forward – who has been involved with two WU23s camps this season, winning Player of the Match for her display and last gasp winner against Portugal in October – has been rippling the net for England even when the cameras aren’t there to see it.

Two goals in as many games for the WU16s, ten in 12 for the WU17s, eight goals in nine appearances for the WU19s – including a hat-trick in a 10-0 win over Lithuania at the 2024 U19 EUROs – and three in four for the WU23s. A goal-to-game ratio to behold.

“After some impressive performances, we made the decision at the start season as a pathway team to stretch Michelle and include her in the U23s camps,” recalled WU23s head coach Emma Coates.

“The reason we did that is because the U23s programme works so closely with the seniors. We knew that Michelle had the potential to go on and compete for a place in the senior squad for the EUROs and we wanted to get her closer to that environment.

“What was really impressive was the way she came into her first U23s camp in October and had an impact straight away. She was playing up an age group and she immediately rose to the challenge. I think that is what everyone is seeing right now – she is enjoying the challenge of rising to what is asked of her.

“The attributes that make her standout – her goalscoring ability, her strength, her humility – we’ve seen them for some time in the pathway, and now the whole world is getting to see it as well.”

Shy but funny, polite, hardworking, confident, humble, dedicated, diligent, reflective and a leader are a sample of the vocabulary used by those who know Agyemang best to sum her up – described as somebody who you wish nothing but good things for.

“One memory that stands out was Michelle’s first U23s camp, I sat down with her to talk about her development,” remembered Coates.

“I said to her, ‘my job is to prepare you for the next level’. And she paused and asked what I meant by the next level. I said the seniors and she just had this moment where she had a realisation that it could be much closer than she maybe thought at that time. It was a bit of a penny drop moment for her.”

Back in April, with Agyemang sidelined through suspension for the Young Lionesses’ U19 EURO qualifier against Belgium at St. George’s Park, she watched on from the stands alongside the likes of Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo and Ella Toone. Three days later, they were her team-mates.

After the WU23s defeated Belgium in their final match of the season, Coates informed the squad of Agyemang’s call-up in the post-match huddle, with her team-mates elated at the news.

“‘I’ve got some really good news to share with you”, Coates told the team. ‘If you think you’re that far away from the senior team, I want to tell you all that Michelle Agyemang has received her first call up’.”

During development camps, Agyemang has been continuing her education at King’s College London where she is studying for a business management degree, splitting her time between training with Brighton and attending lectures and seminars in person as her dedication shines through on and off the pitch.

“On camp, she’d be up in the morning studying before the staff had even got up!” added Griffiths. “She’s just so humble in everything that she does, whether that’s her football, her academics or the way she carriers herself as a person and treats others.”

Qualifies for #U19WEURO on Saturday ✅
Called into the senior #Lionesses squad on Sunday ✅

Welcome, Michelle Agyemang 🙌 pic.twitter.com/CtS1wL1CDA

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 6, 2025

And it is only the beginning for Agyemang, whose supportive family that have been cheering her on home and away with the Young Lionesses are now getting to watch her in action in front of sell-out crowds.

“What’s important for Michelle from here is to continue enjoying her football,” explained Coates. “That’s what we want to see, that’s what the country wants to see. She’s obviously loving life and performing really well for the seniors and long may that continue.

“She’s still a really young player, she’s still got things she needs to work on, so it’s even more exciting to see where she goes from here. The fact she’s doing what she’s doing at this tournament is a credit to herself, her family and everyone who has worked with her in the pathway and in her youth career.”

Now, the teenager who was a ball girl when England played Northern Ireland at Wembley in 2021 is firing the Lionesses to major tournament semi-finals and finals and it’s a journey that is only just getting started.

“I feel like her biggest fan watching her in the EUROs,” mused Smith. “I’m so excited every time she steps on the pitch. I know her team-mates share that excitement and if I was her opposition I’d be worried because when she comes on, she’s a catalyst for the team.

“The senior players and staff also deserve credit because to have a young player look so at ease and comfortable to show her true self and then have so much impact is so impressive.

“There’s an old expression, shine a light on them too early and you can burn them – so by giving her these managed exposure touchpoints she’s just getting better and better,” added Griffiths.

“When you meet Michelle she leaves an impression on you all the time, it doesn’t matter if it’s the first or tenth time, she always makes a positive impression and an impact.

“Michelle is a player who keeps you on the edge of your seat and she’s such a special talent to watch. It’s so exciting to think about how many years ahead we have watching her on the biggest stage.”