What do you think is the most important ingredient of a team? 

When a team has different personalities. I think it’s very important to have different kinds of characters within a team to actually make it work over a consistent period of time. Not only that, everyone should accept others as they are. I think one of the reasons we’ve been so successful as a club is because we’re not all the same. We balance each other out.

It’s obviously such a tight-knit squad. Who are you closest to in the team currently and across the years, who have you bonded with?

From the very beginning, I’ve been so close to Stina. We arrived at the club at the same time, we connected from day one and she quickly became one of my very best friends. I think she is a really great person who is always there when you need her. We always have a good laugh, and we also bring out the best in each other, which is something I truly appreciate. I’m also very close to Kaylan, who is such a dear friend to me and great fun to be around. Of course, it’s so sad that she’s been injured but the silver lining is that we have her back at Arsenal.

There are so many great people in our team. I think tough times bring special people into your life and Beth and Viv really took care of me after my surgery. I’m like their child in some ways! Leah also played a very important role in my life this year because we went through rehab together, only a week apart. We have been so supportive of each other throughout this injury journey and it meant we could bring the best out of each other. If Leah ever needed an extra little push in the gym one day, I could give it to her. If I needed a shoulder to cry on or a big laugh, she would be there.

Leah is just a wonderful human being who takes care of everyone and listens to everyone. She always gives you her honest opinion and always puts the team first. That’s such a great trait to have and she’s such a good person to have in our squad and leadership team. If Leah wasn’t at Arsenal, Arsenal would not feel the way that it does.  

I’m ultimately so happy that everything went the way that it did over the past few years. Obviously, you never want to be injured and you never ever want your friends to be injured either, but I do feel that everything happens for a reason. I’m so thankful for the memories I’ve made with the team this year.

Does everyone have defined roles? Social organiser, joker etc

A team needs to have leaders who can step up when it's needed. We have our leadership group who are just as good at organising get-togethers off the pitch, as they are at coordinating between the players and the staff. They always lead the way when we need them to.

You will always have the louder ones and the quieter ones, and Beth Mead is a perfect example of that. She’s always chatting and joking, and that energy keeps our group happy. I’m sure that anyone who has Beth in their team is so grateful that they do.

Have you picked up much language/cultural learnings from team-mates? If so, what? 

I learnt English in school, but you can't really compare it with the English I speak now I live here. With Stina and Vic, our languages aren’t identical but there are a few similarities, so if we can't find the English word, we’ll just say the German, Swedish or Dutch word and then try to figure out what the other person means. To be fair, it does sometimes work! That means I know the odd word but it's not like I’m properly fluent in Swedish or Dutch yet.

I do have a funny story when Vic first joined. It was during one of her first games for us and we were both in the wall for a free kick. We always have the set piece routines printed out in the changing room and I’d remembered this phrase: accept the runner. So, I turned to Vic in the wall and said, “I’ll accept the runner” and she just stared at me and laughed like, “What on earth are you talking about?!” We would never use a phrase like that in our own language, but I was just repeating what I’d read on the wall! Anyway, I did accept the runner after all.

We have got a lot of young players in the squad – what benefits does that bring? What challenges? 

It’s the balance, I think. For us younger players, coming into training every day and seeing Kim Little play, it’s a wow moment. She’s an unbelievable footballer who’s performed so consistently at the highest level for so many years. Kim is such a professional, of course, but she’s also such a great human being. Even just watching her play every day teaches us so much because it shows you the way.

For those girls younger than me, it’s great having these carefree players who play with such freedom on the pitch because it creates a perfect blend within the team. There’s a certain wildness the younger players have which helps us challenge the way we’ve always played.  

Can you think of a time when the team has been there for you at a difficult moment? 

From the moment I did my ACL, the team have had my back. If I ever needed something, anyone would help. It was an incredibly tough time, but it was also an incredibly special time too. It’s a journey that relies on support from your family and friends, and it really shows you who is there for you when you actually need them. Luckily, people being there for me is what I’ve experienced so often over these past 11 months.

Looking back, I’m so grateful for these experiences because what matters most to me is people. The connections, the relationships, the support – those will last far beyond football.

Do you know much about our women’s Invincibles team of 2006/07?

To be completely honest, I don’t know much. I know how successful Arsenal has been throughout its history, but growing up in Austria meant that I could never really follow the English game because there was never a chance to watch women’s football on TV. You’d obviously hear the big names, but I knew very little about the leagues outside Austria back in the day.

It's completely different these days. Women’s football finally has the platform it deserves. The game was just as good back then but now, people from all over the world can watch and support. Growing the visibility and access for the sport has been such a huge step for women’s football as a whole. I’m so glad we’ve reached that point.

Could you imagine playing an individual sport like golf or tennis rather than a team sport?

I never properly played another sport, other than football. I never really wanted to either! What I love about football is that you share moments with each other, no matter if you win or lose. Trophies will come and go but to me, the memories I make with my friends and teammates are what I’ll treasure years from now. It’s always the people you remember.

There’s a whole team behind the team at Arsenal: the medical team, coaches etc, how much time do you spend with them? What different dynamic do the non-footballers bring to the dressing room?

I think the whole backroom staff are fantastic at what they do. Every day, you come to the training ground, you see these friendly faces and I always get the feeling that people are so happy to be there. They love their jobs and that is not a given. That energy makes it a lovely place to work.

For me personally, the strength and conditioning coaches, the physios and the medical team have been particularly incredible during my rehab. They made me want to come in every day, even though it was hard work, because we always had such a good time together. They always took care of me and they made my rehab as easy as it possibly could be. The whole team, whether it’s players or staff, really cares about each other and that is so important.

What’s the best example of togetherness with the supporters you can remember? 

When I came back last weekend against Bristol City and made my first appearance in almost a year, I honestly couldn’t believe the reception I got. You think about it beforehand, and you wonder how the fans are going to react because they play such an important role at the club and for us as players. But to actually experience that love and support and to see how many people were genuinely happy for me was so, so special. That’s something I’ve never ever experienced before and I doubt I ever will again.

Our supporters are incredibly special. They’re supportive no matter whether you’re the best player on the pitch that night or you’re on the bench with an injury. We can always rely on them and the whole squad appreciates that so much. Every chance to connect with the fans is special but that experience last weekend will stay with me for a long time.