Northern Comfort (WSL Interview: Leila Ouahabi)

Manchester City and Spain full-back Leila Ouahabi reflects on a summer that promised glory but ended in tears – Spain’s EURO 2025 final penalty-shootout defeat to England – and on her fourth season in Manchester. She discusses the injury-hit 2024/25 campaign, welcoming new head coach Andrée Jeglertz, and the warm reunion with England teammates like Alex Greenwood and Jess Park after the final. Ouahabi opens up on adapting to English life and language (including a viral touchline outburst), studying online marketing part-time, and the wave of Spanish players following her into the WSL. She talks candidly about Spain’s federation upheaval – Montse Tomé’s exit and Sonia Bermúdez’s appointment – and the team’s Euros anthem ‘El principio de algo’. Still hurting from the final, she looks ahead to the Nations League and the 2027 World Cup with renewed focus on Manchester City silverware.