Interview

Paving the way

Not content with a Champions League and EURO trophy, Manchester City stalwart Alex Greenwood is using her influence to help get more young girls into football

WORDS Lizzie Coan

When I ask Alex Greenwood about the football academy she set up for young girls, her face lights up. AG5 Academy, named after her initials and shirt number, runs training sessions in her home town of Liverpool and her adopted home of Manchester, and from her reaction it’s clearly a passion project for the 31-year-old. 

“This was something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the Manchester City captain. “I wanted girls to have a place to go and play football where they feel comfortable. I don’t think everyone is always going to play for City, United or Liverpool. I don’t care if you’re going to be the next Lauren Hemp, or you’re going to go on and do something different. That’s absolutely fine, no pressure. Have a smile on your face and feel safe. That was the biggest thing.”

Greenwood certainly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to smiles on faces. On her long list of accolades, she can count a Women’s Champions League trophy, snared with Lyon in 2019/20, and the ultimate prize at Women’s EURO 2022, won in front of a record home crowd at Wembley. Her career has included stints at Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United, and she’s now in her fifth season with Manchester City. She’s played a key role in helping establish them as an emerging force in the Champions League, though an injury sustained late in 2024 has seen her largely out of action this season.

Part of the reason she has been able to achieve so much was access to the right support in her youth, something she is looking to pay forward to the younger generation today with her academy. A key thing Greenwood sees as instrumental to her development as a player was access to local places to play and learn about the game when she was a child. 

“I grew up on the streets in Liverpool playing football with boys,” she explains. “I absolutely loved playing with that freedom. I felt really safe there; I guess that’s because it was all I knew.” Even in today’s era, however, with women’s football on such an upward trajectory, Greenwood is keenly aware of a lack of these spaces for young girls. “In certain areas of Manchester, it’s still not accessible. The reason [AG5] went to a certain part of Manchester is because it was commonly known there’s not many places for young females to go. I wanted that space to be available to them; I want girls to have freedom to play football.”

When I ask Alex Greenwood about the football academy she set up for young girls, her face lights up. AG5 Academy, named after her initials and shirt number, runs training sessions in her home town of Liverpool and her adopted home of Manchester, and from her reaction it’s clearly a passion project for the 31-year-old. 

“This was something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the Manchester City captain. “I wanted girls to have a place to go and play football where they feel comfortable. I don’t think everyone is always going to play for City, United or Liverpool. I don’t care if you’re going to be the next Lauren Hemp, or you’re going to go on and do something different. That’s absolutely fine, no pressure. Have a smile on your face and feel safe. That was the biggest thing.”

Greenwood certainly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to smiles on faces. On her long list of accolades, she can count a Women’s Champions League trophy, snared with Lyon in 2019/20, and the ultimate prize at Women’s EURO 2022, won in front of a record home crowd at Wembley. Her career has included stints at Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United, and she’s now in her fifth season with Manchester City. She’s played a key role in helping establish them as an emerging force in the Champions League, though an injury sustained late in 2024 has seen her largely out of action this season.

Part of the reason she has been able to achieve so much was access to the right support in her youth, something she is looking to pay forward to the younger generation today with her academy. A key thing Greenwood sees as instrumental to her development as a player was access to local places to play and learn about the game when she was a child. 

“I grew up on the streets in Liverpool playing football with boys,” she explains. “I absolutely loved playing with that freedom. I felt really safe there; I guess that’s because it was all I knew.” Even in today’s era, however, with women’s football on such an upward trajectory, Greenwood is keenly aware of a lack of these spaces for young girls. “In certain areas of Manchester, it’s still not accessible. The reason [AG5] went to a certain part of Manchester is because it was commonly known there’s not many places for young females to go. I wanted that space to be available to them; I want girls to have freedom to play football.”

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!
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When I ask Alex Greenwood about the football academy she set up for young girls, her face lights up. AG5 Academy, named after her initials and shirt number, runs training sessions in her home town of Liverpool and her adopted home of Manchester, and from her reaction it’s clearly a passion project for the 31-year-old. 

“This was something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the Manchester City captain. “I wanted girls to have a place to go and play football where they feel comfortable. I don’t think everyone is always going to play for City, United or Liverpool. I don’t care if you’re going to be the next Lauren Hemp, or you’re going to go on and do something different. That’s absolutely fine, no pressure. Have a smile on your face and feel safe. That was the biggest thing.”

Greenwood certainly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to smiles on faces. On her long list of accolades, she can count a Women’s Champions League trophy, snared with Lyon in 2019/20, and the ultimate prize at Women’s EURO 2022, won in front of a record home crowd at Wembley. Her career has included stints at Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United, and she’s now in her fifth season with Manchester City. She’s played a key role in helping establish them as an emerging force in the Champions League, though an injury sustained late in 2024 has seen her largely out of action this season.

Part of the reason she has been able to achieve so much was access to the right support in her youth, something she is looking to pay forward to the younger generation today with her academy. A key thing Greenwood sees as instrumental to her development as a player was access to local places to play and learn about the game when she was a child. 

“I grew up on the streets in Liverpool playing football with boys,” she explains. “I absolutely loved playing with that freedom. I felt really safe there; I guess that’s because it was all I knew.” Even in today’s era, however, with women’s football on such an upward trajectory, Greenwood is keenly aware of a lack of these spaces for young girls. “In certain areas of Manchester, it’s still not accessible. The reason [AG5] went to a certain part of Manchester is because it was commonly known there’s not many places for young females to go. I wanted that space to be available to them; I want girls to have freedom to play football.”

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Issue 24
Get your copy for interviews with Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, Kakå and more...
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“I wanted it to be an all-female staff. So, if something’s happened at school, at home, they have someone at football that they can speak to, or girls who they can talk to and feel comfortable with. It was so important for me to do that.”
By
Alex Greenwood at The Best FIFA Football Awards (top); with the Women’s EURO trophy (above); fulfilling her captaincy duties for Manchester City (top right)
Alex Greenwood at The Best FIFA Football Awards (top); with the Women’s EURO trophy (above); fulfilling her captaincy duties for Manchester City (top right)

Greenwood joined Everton’s academy at a young age, making her first-team debut at just 16. That experience was one of the reasons she wanted to help pave the way for girls to get into the game. “I was fortunate enough that I could turn professional quite young. I appreciated everyone who came before; they had to work so incredibly hard for the game to be in the position it was, even then.” 

For Greenwood, surrounding the girls in her academy with the right support was also crucial. “I wanted it to be an all-female staff. So, if something’s happened at school, at home, they have someone at football that they can speak to, or girls who they can talk to and feel comfortable with. It was so important for me to do that.” 

It was bringing home the EURO trophy with England in 2022 that turned the academy from a ‘one day’ dream into a reality. “It came off the back of the EUROs,” she says. “A lot of ideas came off the back of that.” For Greenwood, England’s victory marked a sea change, both for women’s football as a sport but also for herself personally. “When we won, it was like a firework went off. We were, like, ‘OK, wow, life’s completely changed, both on and off the pitch,’ and for everyone it happened that quickly. It was almost like you couldn’t keep up with it.”

She’s hopeful that a Champions League win for Manchester City might bring the same impact. As someone who has lifted the iconic trophy before, she fully understands the significance of that moment. “I just want this club to experience the Champions League final and winning it,” she says, shaking her head in disbelief as she recalls the moment she triumphed with Lyon. “I honestly can’t put into words the feeling of winning that trophy. It’s one of the best days of my footballing career.” 

She takes a moment to think, gesturing around the indoor pitch we’re currently sitting on. “What I would give for this club to have that opportunity. What I will continue to give
 I just think a day like that with this football club is what we want and deserve.” Whether it’s a Champions League win at the very top of the game or a safe place to play for girls just starting out, Alex Greenwood is all about making sure female footballers get what they rightfully merit. 

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Interview

Paving the way

Not content with a Champions League and EURO trophy, Manchester City stalwart Alex Greenwood is using her influence to help get more young girls into football

WORDS Lizzie Coan

When I ask Alex Greenwood about the football academy she set up for young girls, her face lights up. AG5 Academy, named after her initials and shirt number, runs training sessions in her home town of Liverpool and her adopted home of Manchester, and from her reaction it’s clearly a passion project for the 31-year-old. 

“This was something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the Manchester City captain. “I wanted girls to have a place to go and play football where they feel comfortable. I don’t think everyone is always going to play for City, United or Liverpool. I don’t care if you’re going to be the next Lauren Hemp, or you’re going to go on and do something different. That’s absolutely fine, no pressure. Have a smile on your face and feel safe. That was the biggest thing.”

Greenwood certainly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to smiles on faces. On her long list of accolades, she can count a Women’s Champions League trophy, snared with Lyon in 2019/20, and the ultimate prize at Women’s EURO 2022, won in front of a record home crowd at Wembley. Her career has included stints at Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United, and she’s now in her fifth season with Manchester City. She’s played a key role in helping establish them as an emerging force in the Champions League, though an injury sustained late in 2024 has seen her largely out of action this season.

Part of the reason she has been able to achieve so much was access to the right support in her youth, something she is looking to pay forward to the younger generation today with her academy. A key thing Greenwood sees as instrumental to her development as a player was access to local places to play and learn about the game when she was a child. 

“I grew up on the streets in Liverpool playing football with boys,” she explains. “I absolutely loved playing with that freedom. I felt really safe there; I guess that’s because it was all I knew.” Even in today’s era, however, with women’s football on such an upward trajectory, Greenwood is keenly aware of a lack of these spaces for young girls. “In certain areas of Manchester, it’s still not accessible. The reason [AG5] went to a certain part of Manchester is because it was commonly known there’s not many places for young females to go. I wanted that space to be available to them; I want girls to have freedom to play football.”

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!
Sign UpSign In
Available now
Issue 24
Get your copy for interviews with Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, Kakå and more...
Buy now
“I wanted it to be an all-female staff. So, if something’s happened at school, at home, they have someone at football that they can speak to, or girls who they can talk to and feel comfortable with. It was so important for me to do that.”
By
Alex Greenwood at The Best FIFA Football Awards (top); with the Women’s EURO trophy (above); fulfilling her captaincy duties for Manchester City (top right)
Alex Greenwood at The Best FIFA Football Awards (top); with the Women’s EURO trophy (above); fulfilling her captaincy duties for Manchester City (top right)

Greenwood joined Everton’s academy at a young age, making her first-team debut at just 16. That experience was one of the reasons she wanted to help pave the way for girls to get into the game. “I was fortunate enough that I could turn professional quite young. I appreciated everyone who came before; they had to work so incredibly hard for the game to be in the position it was, even then.” 

For Greenwood, surrounding the girls in her academy with the right support was also crucial. “I wanted it to be an all-female staff. So, if something’s happened at school, at home, they have someone at football that they can speak to, or girls who they can talk to and feel comfortable with. It was so important for me to do that.” 

It was bringing home the EURO trophy with England in 2022 that turned the academy from a ‘one day’ dream into a reality. “It came off the back of the EUROs,” she says. “A lot of ideas came off the back of that.” For Greenwood, England’s victory marked a sea change, both for women’s football as a sport but also for herself personally. “When we won, it was like a firework went off. We were, like, ‘OK, wow, life’s completely changed, both on and off the pitch,’ and for everyone it happened that quickly. It was almost like you couldn’t keep up with it.”

She’s hopeful that a Champions League win for Manchester City might bring the same impact. As someone who has lifted the iconic trophy before, she fully understands the significance of that moment. “I just want this club to experience the Champions League final and winning it,” she says, shaking her head in disbelief as she recalls the moment she triumphed with Lyon. “I honestly can’t put into words the feeling of winning that trophy. It’s one of the best days of my footballing career.” 

She takes a moment to think, gesturing around the indoor pitch we’re currently sitting on. “What I would give for this club to have that opportunity. What I will continue to give
 I just think a day like that with this football club is what we want and deserve.” Whether it’s a Champions League win at the very top of the game or a safe place to play for girls just starting out, Alex Greenwood is all about making sure female footballers get what they rightfully merit. 

Interview

Paving the way

Not content with a Champions League and EURO trophy, Manchester City stalwart Alex Greenwood is using her influence to help get more young girls into football

WORDS Lizzie Coan

When I ask Alex Greenwood about the football academy she set up for young girls, her face lights up. AG5 Academy, named after her initials and shirt number, runs training sessions in her home town of Liverpool and her adopted home of Manchester, and from her reaction it’s clearly a passion project for the 31-year-old. 

“This was something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the Manchester City captain. “I wanted girls to have a place to go and play football where they feel comfortable. I don’t think everyone is always going to play for City, United or Liverpool. I don’t care if you’re going to be the next Lauren Hemp, or you’re going to go on and do something different. That’s absolutely fine, no pressure. Have a smile on your face and feel safe. That was the biggest thing.”

Greenwood certainly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to smiles on faces. On her long list of accolades, she can count a Women’s Champions League trophy, snared with Lyon in 2019/20, and the ultimate prize at Women’s EURO 2022, won in front of a record home crowd at Wembley. Her career has included stints at Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United, and she’s now in her fifth season with Manchester City. She’s played a key role in helping establish them as an emerging force in the Champions League, though an injury sustained late in 2024 has seen her largely out of action this season.

Part of the reason she has been able to achieve so much was access to the right support in her youth, something she is looking to pay forward to the younger generation today with her academy. A key thing Greenwood sees as instrumental to her development as a player was access to local places to play and learn about the game when she was a child. 

“I grew up on the streets in Liverpool playing football with boys,” she explains. “I absolutely loved playing with that freedom. I felt really safe there; I guess that’s because it was all I knew.” Even in today’s era, however, with women’s football on such an upward trajectory, Greenwood is keenly aware of a lack of these spaces for young girls. “In certain areas of Manchester, it’s still not accessible. The reason [AG5] went to a certain part of Manchester is because it was commonly known there’s not many places for young females to go. I wanted that space to be available to them; I want girls to have freedom to play football.”

When I ask Alex Greenwood about the football academy she set up for young girls, her face lights up. AG5 Academy, named after her initials and shirt number, runs training sessions in her home town of Liverpool and her adopted home of Manchester, and from her reaction it’s clearly a passion project for the 31-year-old. 

“This was something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the Manchester City captain. “I wanted girls to have a place to go and play football where they feel comfortable. I don’t think everyone is always going to play for City, United or Liverpool. I don’t care if you’re going to be the next Lauren Hemp, or you’re going to go on and do something different. That’s absolutely fine, no pressure. Have a smile on your face and feel safe. That was the biggest thing.”

Greenwood certainly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to smiles on faces. On her long list of accolades, she can count a Women’s Champions League trophy, snared with Lyon in 2019/20, and the ultimate prize at Women’s EURO 2022, won in front of a record home crowd at Wembley. Her career has included stints at Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United, and she’s now in her fifth season with Manchester City. She’s played a key role in helping establish them as an emerging force in the Champions League, though an injury sustained late in 2024 has seen her largely out of action this season.

Part of the reason she has been able to achieve so much was access to the right support in her youth, something she is looking to pay forward to the younger generation today with her academy. A key thing Greenwood sees as instrumental to her development as a player was access to local places to play and learn about the game when she was a child. 

“I grew up on the streets in Liverpool playing football with boys,” she explains. “I absolutely loved playing with that freedom. I felt really safe there; I guess that’s because it was all I knew.” Even in today’s era, however, with women’s football on such an upward trajectory, Greenwood is keenly aware of a lack of these spaces for young girls. “In certain areas of Manchester, it’s still not accessible. The reason [AG5] went to a certain part of Manchester is because it was commonly known there’s not many places for young females to go. I wanted that space to be available to them; I want girls to have freedom to play football.”

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!
Sign UpSign In

When I ask Alex Greenwood about the football academy she set up for young girls, her face lights up. AG5 Academy, named after her initials and shirt number, runs training sessions in her home town of Liverpool and her adopted home of Manchester, and from her reaction it’s clearly a passion project for the 31-year-old. 

“This was something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the Manchester City captain. “I wanted girls to have a place to go and play football where they feel comfortable. I don’t think everyone is always going to play for City, United or Liverpool. I don’t care if you’re going to be the next Lauren Hemp, or you’re going to go on and do something different. That’s absolutely fine, no pressure. Have a smile on your face and feel safe. That was the biggest thing.”

Greenwood certainly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to smiles on faces. On her long list of accolades, she can count a Women’s Champions League trophy, snared with Lyon in 2019/20, and the ultimate prize at Women’s EURO 2022, won in front of a record home crowd at Wembley. Her career has included stints at Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United, and she’s now in her fifth season with Manchester City. She’s played a key role in helping establish them as an emerging force in the Champions League, though an injury sustained late in 2024 has seen her largely out of action this season.

Part of the reason she has been able to achieve so much was access to the right support in her youth, something she is looking to pay forward to the younger generation today with her academy. A key thing Greenwood sees as instrumental to her development as a player was access to local places to play and learn about the game when she was a child. 

“I grew up on the streets in Liverpool playing football with boys,” she explains. “I absolutely loved playing with that freedom. I felt really safe there; I guess that’s because it was all I knew.” Even in today’s era, however, with women’s football on such an upward trajectory, Greenwood is keenly aware of a lack of these spaces for young girls. “In certain areas of Manchester, it’s still not accessible. The reason [AG5] went to a certain part of Manchester is because it was commonly known there’s not many places for young females to go. I wanted that space to be available to them; I want girls to have freedom to play football.”

Available now
Issue 24
Get your copy for interviews with Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, Kakå and more...
Buy now
“I wanted it to be an all-female staff. So, if something’s happened at school, at home, they have someone at football that they can speak to, or girls who they can talk to and feel comfortable with. It was so important for me to do that.”
By
Alex Greenwood at The Best FIFA Football Awards (top); with the Women’s EURO trophy (above); fulfilling her captaincy duties for Manchester City (top right)
Alex Greenwood at The Best FIFA Football Awards (top); with the Women’s EURO trophy (above); fulfilling her captaincy duties for Manchester City (top right)

Greenwood joined Everton’s academy at a young age, making her first-team debut at just 16. That experience was one of the reasons she wanted to help pave the way for girls to get into the game. “I was fortunate enough that I could turn professional quite young. I appreciated everyone who came before; they had to work so incredibly hard for the game to be in the position it was, even then.” 

For Greenwood, surrounding the girls in her academy with the right support was also crucial. “I wanted it to be an all-female staff. So, if something’s happened at school, at home, they have someone at football that they can speak to, or girls who they can talk to and feel comfortable with. It was so important for me to do that.” 

It was bringing home the EURO trophy with England in 2022 that turned the academy from a ‘one day’ dream into a reality. “It came off the back of the EUROs,” she says. “A lot of ideas came off the back of that.” For Greenwood, England’s victory marked a sea change, both for women’s football as a sport but also for herself personally. “When we won, it was like a firework went off. We were, like, ‘OK, wow, life’s completely changed, both on and off the pitch,’ and for everyone it happened that quickly. It was almost like you couldn’t keep up with it.”

She’s hopeful that a Champions League win for Manchester City might bring the same impact. As someone who has lifted the iconic trophy before, she fully understands the significance of that moment. “I just want this club to experience the Champions League final and winning it,” she says, shaking her head in disbelief as she recalls the moment she triumphed with Lyon. “I honestly can’t put into words the feeling of winning that trophy. It’s one of the best days of my footballing career.” 

She takes a moment to think, gesturing around the indoor pitch we’re currently sitting on. “What I would give for this club to have that opportunity. What I will continue to give
 I just think a day like that with this football club is what we want and deserve.” Whether it’s a Champions League win at the very top of the game or a safe place to play for girls just starting out, Alex Greenwood is all about making sure female footballers get what they rightfully merit. 

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