Heroine Michelle Agyemang's name means 'saviour of a nation'
Michelle Agyemang scored a final-minute equaliser to salvage England’s Euro 2025 campaign on Tuesday night, and in doing so lived up to her name.
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The 19-year-old’s surname translates as “saviour of a nation” in Akan language, which is spoken in Ghana, where her parents descend from.
By scoring in stoppage time against Italy, she helped send the game into extra time, and Chloe Kelly scored the winner for England.
The Lionesses will now play Spain or Germany in the final on Sunday.
“She has something special,” England coach Sarina Wiegman said of Agyemang, “She’s only 19-years-old, she’s very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do.”
Agyemang has now lived up to her saviour status twice, as she scored the equaliser against Sweden to send England’s quarter-final to penalties.
Here is what you need to know about this talented teenager.
Who is Michelle Agyemang?
Born in Ockendon, Essex, to parents of Ghanaian descent, Agyemang grew up as an Arsenal fan and idolised Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott.
She joined her favourite team as a six-year-old and worked her way through the academy, making her debut for the Gunners’ first team aged just 16, in 2022.
A year before, she was a ball girl when England played Northern Ireland in Euro 2021 and played at youth levels for the national team. But she has only recently burst onto the scene for the first team, scoring just 41 seconds into her senior debut against Belgium in April.
Having been sent on loan to Brighton for the 2024-25 Women’s Super League season, Agyemang had only forced her way into the reckoning towards the end of the campaign.
Chloe Kelly was full of praise for her Arsenal teammate at the end of the Italy semi and said she was unlucky not to have scored again with a lobbed effort on goal.
“She’s an unbelievable player and she’s got the world at her feet, a young player with a bright future and I’m absolutely buzzing for her,” she said afterwards.
Michelle Agyemang's goal scoring record
2022-24: Arsenal (Senior)
- Appearances: 6
- Goals: 1
2023-24: Watford FC (Loan)
- Appearances: 10
- Goals: 5
2024-25: Brighton & Hove Albion (Loan)
- Appearances: 22
- Goals: 5
2025 - present: England (senior)
- Appearances: 4
- Goals: 3