As Arsenal’s Beth Mead played a snap reverse pass, Swedish forward Stina Blackstenius made a quick half turn to adjust her body shape, staying on the shoulder of the Barcelona defence.
“The space opened up,” said Arsenal’s Beth Mead. “Seeing Stina, I thought, ‘Why not put it there?’”
Blackstenius thought she wasn’t prepared for the pass, but on the stretch, she just managed to control the ball with her first touch, and with her second, did not hesitate, blasting the ball into the back of the net. The goal proved the difference, putting Arsenal 1-0 up over Barcelona in one of the biggest upsets in UEFA Women’s Champions League final history.
“My feelings were all over the place,” Blackstenius, UEFA’s player of the match, said after the game. “I was in shock, then I was scared that I was offside, so I looked to the lino (linesperson).”
At the full-time whistle, Blackstenius dropped to her knees.
The Sweden international’s goal in the 74th minute sealed European victory for Arsenal after an 18-year hiatus since their first Champions League title in 2007. In doing so, they knocked the three-time European champions off their perch.
Blackstenius’s goal proved the difference (David Ramos / Getty Images)
Ironically, the blonde 1.74m (5ft 9in) Swede does not like to be the centre of attention. Her team-mates describe her as shy, humble and hardworking. She has been like that since she was a teenager.
“She wouldn’t take the microphone and sing a song, but she was sociable, a nice girl, but more reserved,” Sweden’s all-time record goalscorer Lotta Schelin told The Athletic after the final.
Schelin recalls when Blackstenius, 12 years her junior, came into the national team’s senior team and was already known as, in her words, a “superstar”. In 2015, Sweden won the Under-19 European Championship, and Blackstenius took home the Golden Boot and player of the tournament awards.
“She didn’t like to be in the spotlight or interviewed,” said Schelin. “She thought it was hard. It’s not for everyone. Just because you’re great at something doesn’t mean you like this attention.
“She was really tense in the beginning, she worked through it, and now when I hear her in interviews, even a couple of years ago, I was so impressed she had taken so many steps.”
Having grown up playing for her youth team Vadstena, the forward moved to Swedish top-flight side Linkoping, where she played with Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers from 2013 to 2016. However, at 20, she moved to Montpellier in France. After two years, she left before the expiry of her contract in January 2020 and returned to Linkoping in her homeland.
Fellow Swede Jonas Eidevall brought her to Arsenal in January 2022.
“Stina had proved so many times with the Swedish national team that she was a player for the big games, and at numerous times she scored deciding goals in knockout matches,” former Arsenal and now San Diego Wave head coach Eidevall told The Athletic.
Blackstenius’ goal on Saturday was her third in a final for Arsenal, previously scoring against Chelsea in the 2023 and 2024 League Cup finals.
Arsenal’s Frida Maanum and Stina Blackstenius lift the UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy (Maja Hitij / Getty Images)
The striker, however, is not a clinical finisher and received criticism for her low goalscoring tally. For the last two Women’s Super League (WSL) seasons, she registered the highest expected-goals (xG) value, a measurement of the quality of chances created per 90 minutes, but did not convert those chances. Across her four WSL seasons, she has never scored more than eight goals.
However, the 29-year-old’s skill set is not reduced to goals. Blackstenius is a runner, makes smart moves in behind and creates space for other players.
“She has a really good intelligence in how to find a good position in front of the goal,” said Eidevall.
Indeed, Slegers’ instructions to Blackstenius before she came on the pitch in the 67th minute were to run in behind and stretch the defence.
“When Stina knows exactly what to do, she’s going to do it 100 per cent,” said Schelin. “You want her on the pitch but she’s also a perfect sub because there’s more space, players are more tired and she comes with all her strength, power and speed.”
The introduction of Blackstenius and Mead in the 64th and 68th minutes, respectively, was the game-defining moment against Barcelona. While Mead likes to play in front of the defence, Blackstenius makes runs into space, but she needed Mead to play the ball at the right time.
With just her third touch, Blackstenius made her mark on the European stage, coming up clutch.
“I don’t think it is a coincidence that she has scored in all three finals that Arsenal has played during her time at the club,” said Eidevall.
“Stina turns up in big moments and a lot of people criticise her, but she works so hard,” said Mead. “She’s such a genuine, amazing human, and she deserves that.”
“All I can say is good things happen to good people,” added Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy.
When Schelin saw her compatriot after the game, Blackstenius told her: “I don’t even know what’s happening.”
Schelin replied: “It’s happening, enjoy it! You beat one of the best teams ever!”
(Top photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images)
