Chelsea FC Women are on course to become the second club ever to achieve a four-trophy haul.
Following on from their 6-0 win over Bristol City in the Women’s League Cup final, the club is in the running to win the FA Women’s Cup, Champions League and Women’s Super League (WSL).
Star midfielder Sophie Ingle said: “That’s the standards that we live by each day; coming to this football club that’s what Chelsea want to achieve, they want to get as many trophies as they can each year.
“To potentially do a quadruple, it’s amazing that we’re in the position to do that.
“It’s something that the club has always inspired – to be at the best – and now we have a great group here that can do just that.”
The impressive sporting feat has only been achieved once before by an English club, Arsenal Ladies in 2007, under Emma Hayes’ coaching.
Now the former coach of US professional football sides is leading the south west London team to new heights of soccer success as manager.
Ingle, who also captains the Welsh national team, said: “Since Hayes arrived 9 years ago, she has been pushing every single season for this moment.
“Obviously it takes many years to do that in the women’s game and she is an amazing ambassador for the game and a role model for everyone.”
Following on from Chelsea Women’s success in the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, the side have ended Britain’s 14-year-wait for a women’s finalist in Europe.
On Sunday 16 May, captained by Swedish defender Magdalena Eriksson, Chelsea will face Barcelona at Gothenburg in their debut UEFA Women’s Champions League final.
Hayes, speaking of the achievement to BT Sport, said: “I’m so proud of those players, they delivered, they’re resilient and everyone did everything they can.
“Someone described us as ‘mentality monsters’, and we’re the best. We’re in the position we deserve to be in.
“I’ve learned over the years that, of course I want to win the final, but I am going to acknowledge the achievement of making history getting there.
“I think it’s important for English football that we made it.
“Getting to the final shuts up Europe in terms of what we’re doing.”
As defending champions of the WSL, Chelsea’s draw with Manchester City in their recent top-of-the-table match also put them in good stead to win the championship.
With 51 points, the London side is only one point behind Gareth Taylor’s City who face West Ham in their final fixture on Sunday.
But for Chelsea, with a game in hand, the women’s equivalent of the premier league is within their reach.
With the WSL title and the chance of a four-trophy haul hanging in the balance, the team face Tottenham Hotspur tonight.
Ingle, who wears shirt number 5, said ahead of the game: “The Champions League semi-final was an insane game with a lot of emotions.
“It was great to finally get that win and I think we fully deserved it.
“To the neutral fan and from what I’ve heard, everyone said it was one of the best female games they’ve watched in the Champions League so credit to both sides.
“Straight after the game you have a little celebration, but then Monday morning you’ve got to park that emotion and start focusing on the Spurs game which is a massive league game for us.”
Striving on a win rate of 67% this season, the team are even on track to win the FA Cup following their 5-0 win over London City Lionesses, taking on Everton in the fifth round on Thursday 20 May.
While only four more wins are needed to win the FA Cup, pandemic postponement means that the competition will be completed next season, delaying the potential quadruple.
Winning the WSL or the FA Cup would also result in Chelsea competing for the Community Shield, granting them an opportunity to bring it home for the second consecutive year in a row.
While their London rivals made history in 2007, Chelsea are on course to show the world that in south west London, Europe and beyond: women’s football is blue.
Stream tonight’s WSL fixture between Chelsea FC Women and Tottenham Hotspur FC Women here.
Featured image credit: Katie Chan
