Johanna Rytting Kaneryd could lift her sixth trophy with Chelsea at Wembley, if the Women’s Super League Champions get past Manchester United in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup final on May 18th.
It would be the Swedish winger’s first domestic treble with the Blues, after they lifted both the Women’s Super League and Subway Women’s League Cup earlier this year. The side haven’t won the three titles in England since the 2021/22 season, just before Rytting Kaneryd joined the side from BK Häcken in the Damallsvenskan.
Speaking on the prospect of the treble, she said: “Of course, it’s a big achievement and I think talking for all of us, we want to win all the titles we can. It was a big disappointment with the Champions League, so I feel like we really want to end this season on a high. And yeah, three trophies isn’t that bad. So of course, everyone wants to win. That’s the Chelsea culture, so the goals are very clear.”
The final will be the second time the winger has headed to Wembley with the Blues, with the side leaving the stadium 1-0 winners over this year’s Man United opponents back in 2023. Reflecting on that day, Rytting Kaneryd said “First of all, it was such a big experience coming from Sweden. I didn’t really understand how big it was to play in a final at Wembley. It was such an incredible atmosphere.”
Both meetings with the Manchester side for Chelsea this season have ended in 1-0 wins to the Blues, including the away game where they clinched the title at Leigh Sports Village thanks to a late header by Lucy Bronze. Rytting Kaneryd said that Chelsea must stick to the basics in the final to beat United again.
“If we know it’s a physical team, if we win our duels, maybe it sounds a bit cliche, but if we start with doing the basic right, we know how good we are as a team. So I think the last game we played against them, we weren’t at our best. And I think we know that, okay, there is a physical team, but if we win that game in the game, we can work from there. And I know how we work. We grow from that. It’s a big opportunity for us to show what Chelsea is about.
“And everyone here knows that we can win. We can win in different ways. It’s a strength we have in this team. Even if we haven’t played at our best lately, we still find a way somehow. But obviously, we want to improve, and we want to play like we know we can. So hopefully, we can play a lot of positive and attacking type of football.”
She also added that she “always knew what United were about” and how they have been a very good side since she arrived in England.
On her personal development between the two FA Cup finals, the Swedish international noted that “a lot has happened since that day”.
“I think that was my first year with Chelsea, if I’m not wrong,” she continued. “I’ve developed a lot since that. I think my first year was a lot about just learning, and it was a big step coming from a Swedish team to Chelsea. It was all about trying to stay positive, trying to learn every day. I feel like last year, I improved a lot, and I’ve just been working hard, taking every training session, every game for what it is and trying to always be better. That’s my main aim, how I work as a player and a person, I always want to do more. So yeah, I definitely feel like I’ve been growing both as a player, but also as a person.”
If Chelsea were to win the FA Cup, Rytting Kaneryd would have tripled the amount of trophies she lifted in Sweden during her time with Chelsea. When asked about the possibility of such a feat, she said “It means everything. That’s why I play, I want to be in a team where you have the chance to win those trophies.
“It’s funny that you said it because I was just going through my stuff the other day and I was like, wow, look at that trophy. I haven’t even thought about that. Okay, this is what I actually have achieved at Chelsea. It’s things you don’t take for granted and every opportunity to even be able to play a final at Wembley, as I mentioned, is just huge. So, yeah, I’m really enjoying playing for this club. And, to be able to win a third trophy this year is just amazing.
“It would mean everything, everything. I mean, looking back to the season, it’s been a long season and to be able to end it on the best way possible is just a dream. And I think we all feel the same that, okay, this is the last game of the season.
“Yeah, looking back everything we have achieved this season, let’s just focus and try to win another one. Yeah, I mean, for me personally, I really, really, really, really want to win. I love to win. Everyone here loves to win. Yeah, I’m just very much looking forward to it.”
Her message to the Chelsea fans ahead of the final was simple, let’s win together.
“I mean, the way they have been supporting us during the whole season has just been amazing. We know what our fans is all about, my message is just like, let’s finish on a high together. We love to celebrate the trophies with the fans, so this is a big opportunity for us. We’re going to do everything we can to make it possible.”
