Beth Mead backs Ireland skipper Katie McCabe to do ‘amazing things’ at World Cup

Beth Mead backs Katie McCabe to do ‘amazing things’ at World Cup

Beth Mead backs Katie McCabe to do ‘amazing things’ at World Cup Credit: Catherine Ivill/UEFA/Getty Images (left) & Peter Fitzpatrick

Dylan O'Connell reports from Eindhoven

Arsenal’s Beth Mead says Katie McCabe will do ‘amazing things’ this summer at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The Ireland captain will lead her country out into a major tournament for the first time, and it comes on the back for a historic season for the Dubliner at club level.

Not only did she help Arsenal win the FA Women's League Cup, they also reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions league this year for the first time since 2013.

This wasn’t about their work done in the north of London, but the upcoming World Cup and the winner of the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award fully backs her Arsenal team-mate.

Mead gave her thoughts at the House of WePlayStrong event in Eindhoven just before the Women’s Champions League final between Barcelona and Wolfsburg.

“She’s not a bad player,” she joked.

“She is a very strong personality. We all know that,” she explained. “I think she will do amazing things. She is a good person underneath all that bravado. So I’m looking forward to seeing her play.”

The striker also gave her thoughts on Arsenal and how they can learn from a season that came to an abrupt end on two fronts.

The Gunners were knocked out of the Champions League in extra-time, and they slipped up to finish third in the WSL. This still means that they will play at the highest level of European club football next season, they just have to start in the first qualifying round.



This was done while trying to manage four squad players, including Mead, suffering ACL injuries in just six months.

“If you look at this year and how amazing the girls did considering the circumstances and the adversity that we had throughout the year,” she said.

“We’re very close, there is just a few things that we still need to figure out. The end of the season probably came at a good time for us as a team.

“I think it was one game too many at the end of the season. Now we get a chance to reset. Hopefully the girls have an amazing World Cup, come back fit, most of the players that are injured come back, and then we can make good additions that will take us to that next level. It is very close and in the making.”

About Dylan O'Connell

Dylan is a freelance journalist based in Cork. He joined Extratime in 2016 and he covers games all across Ireland. His bylines include The Echo, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, The 42, RTÉ Sport, and Irish … View Full Profile