Every major tournament unveils a breakout star—someone who captures imaginations and defies expectations. At Euro 2025, that star is unmistakably Michelle Agyemang.

Calling her rise "meteoric" barely does it justice. The 19-year-old hasn’t just risen—she’s launched straight into the stratosphere.

The 19-year-old from South Ockendon, Essex scored 41 seconds into her England senior debut against Belgium, and two crucial equalisers during the knock-out stages of the Euros.

Southend High School for Girls coach April Smith spotted her potential when she was one of about 30 players taking part in lunchtime matches.

Just four years ago, Agyemang was a ball girl at Wembley, watching from the sidelines as England faced Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifier—Sarina Wiegman’s first match at the stadium. Beth Mead scored a hat-trick that day; Agyemang was a promising talent in Arsenal’s academy, still dreaming.

Fast-forward to October 2022, she made her senior debut—just 13 months after that day at Wembley. English women’s football was riding a wave of success following the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 triumph.

Now, in 2025, as England defended their European crown against Spain, Agyemang found herself not just part of the squad—but central to its hopes.

"Four years ago I was just a kid throwing the ball to some of these girls," she told ITV Sport after scoring a crucial equaliser in the semi-final against Italy.

"I'm so happy I'm here. To be doing this at this level and helping out this team is more than I could've wished for."

Her impact has been nothing short of astonishing: Four caps. Three goals. Two late equalisers. One rising star with the weight of a nation on her shoulders.

Michelle Agyemang’s name is already etched into the story of this tournament—and, perhaps, the future of English football.

Agyemang is a lifelong Arsenal fan and joined the club's academy at the age of six, after her father, a grassroots football coach, secured her a trial.

She initially played as a defender but developed into a forward.

Agyemang played through the age categories and moved into the first-team set-up, making her debut in 2022 aged 16.

Former Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie told the Women's Football Weekly podcast Agyemang has become a natural goalscorer.

"She is unreal," said Beattie. "She was an academy player when I was at Arsenal and she used to come up to training and was sometimes involved in match squads."

Beattie said that Arsenal's players quickly saw the type of finishing quality Agyemang showed against Belgium.

"I kid you not - she would do that in training," Beattie said. "She is an incredible box player, an unbelievable finisher. She doesn't need more than one or two touches, exactly what you saw against Belgium."

After a handful of first-team appearances, Agyemang was loaned to Women's Championship side Watford for the 2023-24 season.

Agyemang scored five goals in 10 appearances at Watford, and Arsenal rewarded her with a first professional contract.

Agyemang named Best Young Player of Euro 2025

Agyemang was named Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2025 after playing a pivotal role in the Lionesses’ title-winning campaign in Switzerland.

The 19-year-old Arsenal forward featured for just 138 minutes and did not start a single match, yet delivered crucial moments that helped England retain their European crown with a penalty shootout victory over Spain in the final in Basel.

Agyemang scored dramatic late equalisers against Sweden in the quarter-finals and Italy in the semi-finals, keeping Sarina Wiegman’s side alive in both fixtures.

Meanwhile, Spain midfielder and Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí was named Player of the Tournament. The 27-year-old missed the start of the competition after being hospitalised with viral meningitis but returned to make a major impact—scoring the decisive goal in the semi-final win over Germany.

Spain’s Esther González claimed the Golden Boot, finishing as top scorer with four goals in six matches.

Agyemang was 'a coach's dream' at school

She has been described as "a coach's dream" by her former school mentor.

Coach April Smith said: "There was just something really special about her, not just from a playing perspective, but a mentality perspective. She always wanted to do more, always worked really hard."

Ms Smith was working for Leyton Orient on Tuesday when England beat Italy to book a place in Sunday's Euros final against Spain, and admitted she struggled to focus on work.

"I had my laptop up in the gantry and I let out an almighty scream.

"I probably ran the whole length of a stand when she scored that goal."

"I'm not surprised at all to see her do as well as she's done... she's just got something about her. It's hard to explain," she continued.

"You just want to nurture that talent and you want to make sure she goes and plays on the best stages and that's exactly what she's doing and she's taking everything in her stride.

"She's come from a little place in Essex, so it does make you really proud, just knowing that people will grow up one day... little girls saying they want to go and play like Michelle Agyemang.

"It's incredible, it's what every coach wants. She is a coach's dream."