The Lionesses' victory in the European Championships was always going to be huge for women's football. And – as we turn our attention to the Women's Super League – Arsenal W.F.C are serious contenders for the title.
Arsenal W.F.C has been home to many of the England squad, including Lionesses' captain, Leah Williamson, as well as Beth Mead, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Jordan Nobbs, and Nikita Parris (who has since transferred to Manchester United). And in more exciting news, Il Makiage – the cult New-York-based beauty brand – is officially joining the Arsenal family.
Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal, has welcomed the partnership, saying, "Arsenal has been at the forefront of women’s football since 1987 and the game is at an exciting moment in its development. The Lionesses’ success has ignited interest from a new community of people, and we are determined to build on this.
“Having the support of fantastic, like-minded partners such as IL MAKIAGE will help us grow women’s football in a sustainable way.”
To celebrate, we chatted to some of the Arsenal squad to find out more about the growth of the women's game, LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, and of course, beauty.
“The game has grown!,” explains Beth Mead, who won the Golden Boot at the Euros earlier this year. Since the final, she adds, women's football is “getting more attention and there are more bum on seats. It’s the same individually. You walk down the street and people know who you are.”
And, of course, as Beth explains, this can only be a good thing: “My view is, the more people know who you are, the more people know about the game – so it’s heading in the right direction!”
After our interview, it was sadly confirmed that Mead had been ruled out of playing for an extended period, after sustaining an ACL injury during Arsenal's defeat to Manchester United earlier in the month. We asked Mead whether there's more pressure on sportswomen to be perfect and make fewer mistakes in order to be respected.
“Failures are part and parcel of the game,” Mead tells GLAMOUR. “What’s important is you go again. We’re strong women and we’re strong enough to keep going and keep doing what we’re doing.” Amen to that.
Women's football is often praised for being a more welcoming environment than the men's game, perhaps most clearly illustrated through the amount of openly gay women's players, compared to the men's.
There are currently no openly gay footballers in the top flight of English men's football – understandably, homophobia is rife within the men's game. In 1990, Justin Fashanu was the first English professional footballer to come out as gay, receiving a vitriolic backlash in the press and by his peers for the admission. He sadly died by suicide in 1998. Since then, tentative steps have been made in the men's game – most recently with Blackpool's Jake Daniels becoming the UK's first professional openly gay male footballer in 32 years.
It's a different story in women's football. Although the sport isn't entirely free from homophobia, it's decidedly less of an issue. As USA’s World Cup hero Megan Rapinoe said back in 2019, “You can’t win a championship without gays on your team!” (via The Guardian).
We spoke to Jen Beattie, who plays as a defender for Arsenal and the Scottish National team, about why she thinks the women’s game is so welcoming to LGBTQ+ players.
“I don’t think that this has been a particularly conscious effort within women’s football,” Beattie explains. “LGBTQ+ culture has always come part and parcel within our sport, with players not even feeling the need to address their sexual orientation.”
She adds that, “LGBTQ+ allyship and inclusivity is important in all sports, not just football, so I would hope that we are setting a good example for future generations of athletes and supporters.”
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Finally, do the Arsenal team have any nifty beauty hacks they'd like to share with GLAMOUR? Mead says, “I try and keep it natural. Appreciate what you look like and enjoy that!,” adding that, “My tip is if you are using make-up, make sure you use the right shade!” – something that Il Makiage may just be able to help out with.
We also spoke to Lia Wälti, Arsenal and Switzerland midfielder, who says, “I personally like to have a bit of colour on my face, especially during winter. It can help you make look that little bit fresher!”
Speaking about the partnership, Dmitri Kaplun, CEO of Il Makiage, said: “Arsenal Women, one of the first and most globally recognised women’s football teams, is shaping the future of the sport every time they step onto the pitch. These incredible athletes personify who the IL MAKIAGE woman is – fierce, powerful, and ground-breaking."
We couldn't have said it better.
What a legacy.
For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.
