Advertisement We need your help now Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open. You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough. If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it. One-off amount I already contribute Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you. An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. Investigates Investigates Money Diaries Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Katie McCabe lifts the Women's Champions League trophy after Arsenal's triumph in Lisbon.Alamy Stock Photo European champion 'I'll probably fly out to Ibiza in the morning' - Katie McCabe revels in Champions League glory The Ireland captain says Arsenal never felt like underdogs against the all-conquering Barcelona. 8.09pm, 24 May 2025 Share options KATIE MCCABE CORRECTED herself after initially saying she was in “disbelief” at Arsenal’s shock 1-0 Women’s Champions League final success over Barcelona at Lisbon’s Jose Alvalade Stadium. “Well, no, actually, I believe it”, McCabe told TNT Sport, “because we suffered together today. “Barcelona threw absolutely everything at us”, McCabe added, before apologising for a stray F-bomb on live TV, “but we kept together. We rode it out, we rode the storm, and our game-changers came on and we made sure we got runs in behind, and Stina got the goal in the end. It was unbelievable.” Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius’ 74th-minute goal ultimately proved decisive against the favoured Catalan giants, with Renee Slegers’ Gunners dethroning the side that had won three of the last four Champions League titles. It was Arsenal’s first Champions League success since 2007, the second in their history, with Republic of Ireland captain McCabe playing the full 98 minutes in the Portuguese capital. “It’s unbelievable to give this to our fans, to our families, to the players that have been here for so long, to the players that have come and gone,” said McCabe, who was draped in an Irish tricolour. "It's an unbelievable day for the club" ✨ Katie McCabe reflects on a career-defining achievement for Arsenal Women as UWCL champions. 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/CMqUFf8f7D— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 24, 2025 The Dubliner went on to pay tribute to former teammates such as TNT pundit Fara Williams, whom she credited — along with Emma Byrne and Emma Mitchell — for taking her under their tutelage in North London when she was a “young, naive kid that came over from Dublin”. Advertisement England legend Williams, who shared a moment with her former Gunners teammate before interviewing McCabe alongside presenter Becky Ives at pitchside, said of their embrace: “I was just saying to her how proud I am of Katie. “Katie’s been at Arsenal now for 10 years and done so much for the club, and probably doesn’t get the credit she deserves,” added Williams, who won an FA Cup with Arsenal alongside McCabe in 2016. “She’s a phenomenal athlete. She wears her heart on her sleeve. I think we saw that today in her performance, in her celebration, and in her talking emotionally after the game.” While Pere Romeu’s Barca were heavily fancied to seal their fourth European title in five years against English opponents who finished a distant second in the Women’s Super League, McCabe said that she and her Arsenal teammates had never subscribed to that consensus. The Gunners, who topped a group including Bayern Munich and overcame first-leg deficits against both Real Madrid and Lyon in the previous two knockout rounds, were imbued by the hard road to Lisbon, the 29-year-old explained. “The word got thrown around during the week, ‘underdogs’, but we deserved to be in this final,” said McCabe. “We’ve been in this since the very start, having to qualify for the tournament. We had to get good results in the group stage. In the knockout rounds, we bounced back, we kept going, we kept being resilient, persistent. “We were ruthless in front of goal. We just needed one chance today and Stina took it.” Asked by presenter Ives where in Lisbon she and her Arsenal teammates intended to celebrate, McCabe replied: “An undisclosed location… I’ll probably fly out to Ibiza in the morning, I’d say!” Written by Gavan Casey and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here. View 3 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “'I'll probably fly out to Ibiza in the morning' - Katie McCabe revels in Champions League glory”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “'I'll probably fly out to Ibiza in the morning' - Katie McCabe revels in Champions League glory”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Newly created accounts can only comment using The Journal app. This is to add an extra layer of security to account creation. Download and sign into the app to continue. Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion European champion News in 60 seconds Tributes paid to 18-year-old Luke Silles who has died following a swimming accident friendships Parenting: Using the Facebook 'like' button is lazy, but I can't discuss your life in person 55 mins ago Here's What Happened Today: Saturday 56 mins ago Alleged burglar drove stolen car on path as kids were going to school, court hears Pedestrian seriously injured after being struck by car in Enniscorthy Bordeaux overcome stubborn Saints to land first Champions Cup title Israeli strikes Nine of a doctor’s 10 children killed in Israel’s latest strikes in Gaza Tributes paid to 18-year-old Luke Silles who has died following a swimming accident The Morning Lead Belfast train station ticket system for Dublin passengers slammed as 'partitionist' and 'nuts' Eimer McAuley Man who poisoned his partner of 30 years with Valium that could 'knock a horse out' avoids jail Deportation flight US plane believed to have transported illegally deported people lands in Shannon on return trip more from us Investigates Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The Journal supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online