Canada forward broke the £1m transfer barrier and now eyes Sunday’s semi-final first leg against Lyon
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livia Smith is tentatively laying down roots but remains alert to the changes that can be produced by football. The 21-year-old Arsenal forward, who has nine goals and three assists in her first season in north London, has lived a nomadic football life, driven by a desire to continuously improve and move up the ladder, rung by rung, without a pause.
As the season reaches its climax, a Champions League semi-final against Lyon on Sunday is testament to how far up the ladder Smith has climbed. Now, she is heading towards unknown territory: a second season at the same club for the first time in her senior career. “I do feel quite calm now, knowing that I have set down some roots here, but at the end of the day, football is football and you never know what’s next,” she says. “So I’m always on my toes but, right now, I’m kind of laid-back, just enjoying the time here in the present with Arsenal and looking forward to winning more silverware and growing as a player and a person.”
Smith’s adaptability is a superstrength. Her debut goal for Arsenal against London City Lionesses, when she cut in from the left, drove through the middle, and sent a thunderous strike into the top corner from the edge of the D, showcased an ability to hit the ground running at a new club. “I’m glad that it looks like that from the outside,” Smith says. “Internally, it was a bit more difficult coming from Liverpool and jumping in to the champions of Europe, but I have such a great support system.”
