Making a Maestro (Jordan Nobbs)

Cover subject Jordan Nobbs reflects on a career that has taken her from Sunderland’s academy to Arsenal legend status and, since January 2023, Aston Villa. The 71-cap Lioness discusses adjusting to life away from Arsenal after twelve years, the emotional pull of facing her old club, and how she coped with being a squad player rather than a guaranteed starter at the 2023 World Cup after years plagued by injury. She talks candidly about the changes she has made to her game as she has got older, the mentors – Jayne Ludlow and Kelly Smith – who shaped her early Arsenal years, and her favourite goal never scored, an eight-second strike against the crossbar at Wembley in 2014. The conversation closes on souvenirs, teammates and her sausage dog, Blue.