With Arsenal the only English side to have been crowned champions of Europe in the women's game, the country's list of UWCL winners is quite exclusive
Having Lionesses in the Women's Champions League final has become something of the norm in recent years but something happened in 2025 that hasn't happened since 2007 – an English team actually won the trophy, as Arsenal claimed their second European triumph some 18 years after their first by stunning Barcelona in the final in Lisbon.
Until that point, only 19 Lionesses had ever won the UWCL and 13 of them were part of the Gunners side that did so all those years ago with victory over Umea. However, that number has grown a little now, with five more England internationals joining what still remains a rather exclusive club that lacks some big names.
So, who are the Lionesses who have become European champions at club level? GOAL runs through every member…
Anita Asante
To start, this list is dominated by the Lionesses who were part of the Arsenal side which became champions of Europe. Anita Asante was part of that historic team, playing 90 minutes in the backline in both legs of the 2007 UEFA Women's Cup final, as it was known then, as the Gunners beat Umea 1-0 on aggregate.
Asante came through the system at Arsenal and spent five years in the senior team before leaving in 2008, to join Chelsea. The versatile centre-back also spent time in the United States and Sweden before retiring in 2022, having won 71 caps for England and four for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games. Today, she is part of the coaching staff at Bristol City.
AdvertisementLeanne Champ
Another versatile footballer, Leanne Champ was on the bench as Arsenal defeated Umea in the 2007 final, a triumph which was made all the more impressive by the fact that they were without her for most of that quadruple-winning season due to an ACL injury.
Capped 10 times at senior level by England, Champ also played for Millwall and Chelsea in England and spent time across the pond in the United States, representing three different clubs. After her playing days were over, she joined former NWSL side Boston Breakers as a coach before returning to London to work in Chelsea's academy.
Gilly Flaherty
Just 17 years old when she became a champion of Europe, Gilly Flaherty had only broken into Arsenal's senior team a few months earlier but earned herself a spot among the substitutes for the Gunners' finest hour. It was an exciting start to seven trophy-laden years in the first team, before she left for Chelsea in early 2014.
It was with the Blues that Flaherty finally earned her first England caps, the first of her nine coming in late 2015, and she would later also represent West Ham and Liverpool. The defender retired in early 2023 because of family reasons, having recently lost her father, and now works as a pundit and co-commentator.
Mary Phillip
Previously of Millwall and Fulham, Mary Phillip joined Arsenal in 2004 and was part of their rock solid defence across the 2007 UEFA Women's Cup final, playing 90 minutes in both games. Her experience was key given the injuries in the backline – by the time this tie came around, Phillip had already won 16 domestic trophies and been representing England at senior level for 12 years.
Since calling time on her playing days at the age of 31, Phillip has been on a coaching journey that has regularly grabbed attention in the media as it is on the men's football pyramid. Since 2019, the former Lioness has been manager of lower-league side Peckham Town, with whom she won the London Senior Trophy in 2020.