'Like a little kid' - Arsenal captain Leah Williamson shares excitement after returning from nine months out injured

Arsenal and England captain Leah Williamson says she purposely kept her “head down” during her rehabilitation from a serious knee injury, after making her comeback from nine months out for her club last night.

The defender came on with around half an hour to go and provided an assist with a long ball for Beth Mead to score as Arsenal won 6-0 in the League Cup at Reading.

Williamson missed the Women’s World Cup last summer after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament during a match in April 2023. She used her time away from football to speak out about a number of issues.

The 26-year-old became the first England women’s footballer to address the United Nations on gender stereotypes, having visited a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan, while she has also called for more research into ACL injuries in the women’s game.

But Williamson has been quiet when it comes to updates on her own rehab, and she says that was deliberate.

“I have always worked hard in silence, almost. I love that we get to come out on the pitch and put on a show,” Williamson told Arseblog.

“That is what I love about football and what is a lovely moment every weekend when you come out with the fans and you get to bond that way. But there are some things you have to do on your own and are your business.

‘It is a hot topic at the moment and there are lots of opinions around it [ACL injuries]. I felt like I had my plan that could help me through it and that was all I needed.

“I have been quiet on purpose, getting my work done and keeping my head down and then you get to celebrate moments like this.

“I’m a logical person so I said I wanted to plan early and there is so much where you have to see how you feel. But from the start of my rehab I have been quite lucky in terms of feeling ready for every step, almost too ready but never pushing the time.

“As the game got closer I have been like a little kid all week trying to not be annoying. I have been acting like Beth [Mead] on a daily basis and that is out of character for me.

“I’ve been louder than usual and I am glad it is out of the way now because there were some nerves on the bench, I’ll tell you that.”

Having come on a sub in the League Cup, Williamson will be hoping to force her way into the squad for Arsenal’s Women’s Super League match at Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

“She works incredibly hard,” said Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall.

“I don't think anyone who hasn't had an ACL injury can understand all the work that goes in behind that to be able to return.

“I’m really happy for her as an individual and really happy for the team to get such a great player back.”

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