Jenna Nighswonger enters the room on a chilly late winter’s afternoon at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, one that was far from the California sunshine that Arsenal’s latest signing grew up with. But as the 24 year old Olympic gold medallist faces assembled media who are gathered on her second day as an Arsenal player, she already looks at home. Adorned with a cream knit jumper that would not have felt out of place on Cameron Diaz in the Christmas classic, The Holiday, she greets each journalist around the table with a smile and a handshake.
The Halfway Line got the opportunity to be there and hear from the latest Californian to be welcomed to England even if Jude Law was missing from the welcome party this time.
Nighswonger ‘really excited’ to play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League
The USWNT has felt like the irrepressible fulcrum of women’s football for the longest time at international level but in the club game Europe has made huge strides to challenge the NSWL as the greatest place for women’s club football. Nighswonger was asked how long playing in Europe has been an ambition of hers, she responded:
“Honestly, I guess, to go way back. This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was, like, seven or eight. So I think when I was planning my whole life…” at this point Nighswonger was interrupted by laughter in the room at the thought of a child planning their entire life out, sensing the comedic atmosphere shift, she quipped, “…as one does, you know.”
It may sound absurd but Nighswonger has excelled in every step she has taken in her career and those best laid plans seem to have been more than beneficial, she continued: “I was like okay, well, coming out of college, I wanted to go to Europe, but then, like, a great opportunity with Gotham happened. So I went to Gotham, but still in the back of my mind, I was always like, I really want to play in Europe.”
And her ambition has come to fruition with Arsenal bringing Nighswonger in from Gotham for a reported fee of £80,360. But did Nighswonger follow the Barclays Women’s Super League when she was growing up? “No, I was honestly following the Premier League.” For those wondering who her favourite player to watch at the time was, it was Wayne Rooney but anticipating her audience at Arsenal’s training ground, she continued with a knowingly mischievous smile, “but that’s off the record right?”
She continued, “I would watch every team in the Premier League, because that’s just where the good soccer was. So, yeah, I just had always wanted to come [to England] because, like, that’s who I’d watched growing up.”
On how she was feeling about playing in Europe’s premier club competition: the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Nighswonger said with steely resolve “Yeah, I’m really excited.”
‘I was a ten or an eight before’ Nighswonger on her attacking past and versatile present
Nighswonger now plies her trade as a left back but was supremely successful playing as both an 8 and a 10 at Florida State University. With FSU she won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship and was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Most Valuable Player in those positions – Nighswonger picking Wayne Rooney as her favourite player makes sense now right? – Renée Slegers has demonstrated just how much she values versatile players and Nighswonger is certainly that. But what is her favourite position to play?
“I love left back now, I’m so happy that I got moved there. I really like it.” she continued, “I was like, a ten or an eight before, and then I got to Gotham, and then we were short on left backs, and I’m left footed, so I just kind of like, fell into that role, but then I really loved it and I’m really happy to play there. I think it’s a great, fun position.”
Certainly her versatility would have proven another string on her the bow for Arsenal head coach Slegers, Nighswonger was asked whether this is something that herself and Slegers have discussed, she noted:
“I think that maybe she spoke about how it’s just nice that I’m versatile. I don’t think it was like, any main point or conversation, but I think that versatility in this game is just important, and I’m like, happy to have it.”
‘I look up to her a lot’ praises Nighswonger about Emily Fox
Of course Nighswonger joins as the second American in the current Arsenal ranks with Emily Fox signed from North Carolina Courage in January last year. When asked how much Arsenal fans have Fox to thank for the arrival of a second American through the doors at Arsenal, Nighswonger responded:
“I think she’s [Emily Fox] obviously, like, such a great player and a great person, so I look up to her a lot. And to have her, saying that it’s [Arsenal’s] a great club, I think: I can trust that.”
As far as settling into life in the WSL is concerned, Nighswonger continued:
“I’m just trying to lean on my new teammates, and especially Foxy [Emily Fox] and my a million questions, and then just like the coaching to try to make my transition [from the NWSL] as smooth as possible.” She concluded, “It’s just like adapting to the new players that I’m playing with, and how can I compliment them best.”
Nighswonger left Gotham for ‘great opportunity’ at Arsenal
Nighswonger had an incredibly successful time at her former club NJ/NY Gotham. She won the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) title in her first season picking up the NWSL Rookie of the Year award and she was included in the best XI of the 2024 season. However since the close season in the NWSL began eyebrows have been raised by NJ/NY Gotham’s transfer business. The side who came third in the NWSL last year have lost USWNT all star Crystal Dunn to PSG and Yazmeen Ryan who had an impressive 2024 in Gotham colours to Houston Dash before now seeing Nighswonger off to pastures new.
The situation at Gotham was put to Nighswonger, who smartly provided a diplomatic answer, she replied:
“I really just focus on myself, and I have my reasons for leaving Gotham, which is that this great circumstance happened, this great opportunity. So I love everyone and like, I think that everyone just has their right to pursue their happiness, whether that’s at Gotham or whether it’s not.”
Gotham has been host to some extraordinary leaders and wonderful players even in the two years Nighswonger was playing there, the Halfway Line asked whether Nighswonger felt drawn to be a leader herself:
“Yeah, I mean, I think that once I get settled into an environment.” She continued, “I don’t really think about being a leader or I don’t really have aspirations of, like, being the captain of the international team, honestly, but I think that playing next to people like Ali Krieger and stuff has helped me in ways that, like, she took me under her wing. So I think, as I get older, I’d love to do that and help people around me in any way that I can.”
When asked specifically about what it was like to play with modern footballing greats like Ali Krieger and Tierna Davidson she gushed:
“Yeah, honestly, so great. They’re both so calm when they play. And I think that sometimes I’m like, I get like, really emotional, like into the heat of the game and stuff like that. So having someone to balance me out and be my Ying, Yang was like, so nice. So I learned so much from them, and they’re just such good leaders. So I think, I’ve been so lucky and grateful to have them my past two years, and always answering my questions and, like, taking time out of their day to, help me get better. And, yeah, it’s just been so great to play with them. I’m lucky.”
Nighswonger admits scoring an Olympico now would be an ‘accident’
Just as the round table was beginning to wrap up, here at the Halfway Line we could not help ourselves but ask about the Olympicos. For those who aren’t familiar, Nighswonger scored three Olympico goals [scored directly from a corner] while in the collegiate system, with one even featuring on SportCentre’s play of the week. We just had to ask, can Arsenal fans expect some Olympico goals from the California native? She responded:
“I said this in an interview in the summer, but I was like, if I do this, it’s an accident” she laughed, before she continued, grinning, “If I, if I pull up for my first corner and score an Olympico, it’s an accident. So we’ll see…” the room now embraced by the warmth of jolly laughter, heard its final question concerning just what the USWNT star is most excited for about life in England? The response was just as simple and honest as her previous answer:
“I love soccer, I love football, so I’m excited to just play and be immersed in it.”
