Michelle Agyemang: Who is England's breakout star?

Michelle Agyemang is England's newest hero.

As the Lionesses looked set to exit Euro 2025, once again it was Agyemang who came to their rescue. The 19-year old forward -- who had made only one senior England appearance before this tournament -- scored a 96th-minute equaliser against Italy on Tuesday as well as England's second in their comeback against Sweden in the quarterfinals.

The Lionesses have made it to the final of Euro 2025, but without Agyemang, their title defence would've fallen flat much earlier than expected.

So, who is England's saviour -- quite literally as her surname translates from Ghanaian to "saviour of a nation" -- Michelle Agyemang?

Early Days

Born in Essex, Agyemang grew up an Arsenal fan, although her family didn't as her dad supports Manchester United, her brother Chelsea and her sister West Ham -- very much a family of differing loyalties on a matchday.

She joined Arsenal at the age of six, and 10 years later in 2022 at just 16-years old Agyemang made her debut in a 4-0 win over Leicester in the Women's Super League.

Agyemang also represented England at youth age groups ranging from under-16 to U23-level scoring ten goals in just 12 under-17 appearances -- a sign of what was to come for the Arsenal forward in a senior England shirt.

In 2021, Agyemang was a ballgirl in Sarina Wiegman's first game in charge of England, a 4-0 win against Northern Ireland at Wembley. Four years later, she's playing under Wiegman and is an integral part of England's Euro 2025 run.

Club football

After making her debut for Arsenal in 2022, Agyemang scored her first goal for the club against Leeds United in the Women's FA Cup the next year and went on to make five appearances for the first team before enjoying loan spells at Watford and Brighton and Hove Albion.

She scored six goals in the Championship at Watford, earning one player of the month award.

After joining Brighton on loan last summer, Agyemang started just three times, scoring three goals. Despite her low gametime, Agyemang was named the Women's Young Player of the Season, a testament to her talent.

She will surely play a more involved role at the Emirates next season after a breakout Euro 2025.

Instant England impact

Fast forward to April 2025 and Agyemang received her first senior England call-up and debuted against Belgium in the UEFA Women's Nations League. In true 'new kid on-the-block' fashion, Agyemang needed just 41 seconds to get on the scoresheet and announce herself on the international stage.

England went on to lose 3-2 but Agyemang's impact earned her a place in Sarina Wiegman's 23-player squad for the Euros.

"That goal was just incredible," Wiegman told the BBC after Agyemang's debut goal. "The composure, the first touch and the second touch. For her, it was really nice that she comes on and within a minute she has the moment."

She has gone on to have quite a few more moments for England, all off them sharing that common denominator of composure, a trait Agyemang holds in abundance.

England's Euro saviour

At the tournament itself, Agyemang saved her magic for when it really mattered. As England looked like they were heading home in the quarterfinals, an 81st-minute equaliser from Agyemang took England into extra-time and eventually a penalty-shootout win.

But she wasn't done there.

Trailing for 95 minutes on Tuesday, once again England's title defence looked like it had run its course. Up stepped Agyemang.

Her composed, double-nutmeg finish kept the Lionesses in the tournament, as they went on to win the semifinal in extra-time courtesy of a Chloe Kelly penalty rebound.

Sarina Wiegman took her time to bring Agyemang on in the semifinal and it worked. It remains to be seen if she will continue to opt to use her as an impact player off the bench or whether she has done enough to earn a starting place in the final on Sunday.

What Agyemang's teammates and manager have said about her

"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."
- Chloe Kelly

"You see it when she comes on. Defenders are petrified of her."
- Lucy Bronze

"She feels inevitable right now."
- Leah Williamson

"She has something special. She's only 19 years old, she's very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do."
- Sarina Wiegman