Arsenal launch Step By Step, a documentary charting the recovery of Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema from their ACL injuries, as well as their exploration of why this issue is prevalent in women’s football.
The five-part documentary will be available to watch from Monday 18 December at 5pm, with new episodes dropping daily until Friday 22 December and available on both Arsenal.com and the official Arsenal app.
The series offers an unprecedented inside-look at Beth and Viv’s journeys back to fitness. It brings viewers behind the curtain at key stages of their recovery – including pre-and post-surgery and their first steps back into training – and shines a light on the mental and physical toll of not being able to play the game they love.
In addition to the players’ personal recovery stories, the documentary also follows Beth and Viv as they sit down with world-leading experts in fields ranging from ACL injury prevention to mental health and female physiology and endocrinology. The documentary looks to use their experience to learn more about this injury and help drive conversations designed ultimately to ensure better outcomes for female footballers.
The documentary premiered last week at Arsenal’s home in Islington at Screen on the Green – with Beth and Viv attending alongside Arsenal Women’s Head of Performance Services, Gary Lewin. With special guests including our supporters, staff and a selection of influential figures from the game, the night provided a chance to enjoy a first look at the series, rounded off with an exclusive Q&A with both Beth and Viv.
Beth Mead said: “This is a story that we’re desperate to tell, having experienced first-hand the physical and mental challenges involved in recovering from an ACL injury. We’ve all seen how many ACL injuries there have been across the women’s game in recent months and years and we want to use our experience to help future generations of girls. We’re proud to be part of a club that is tackling this issue head on, and looking to drive progress across all departments of the women’s game.”
Vivianne Miedema said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to bring this story to life for our supporters and the wider public. As players, we feel a responsibility to highlight this issue and do what we can to drive conversations that we hope will improve our understanding of why this injury happens at such a high rate in women’s football. From having spoken to a range of experts through this process, we know there is no quick-fix – but by sharing our experiences and talking about this issue, we can all contribute to improving the situation for the future.”
Arsenal Women Head of Performance Services Gary Lewin says: “Often when a player suffers a serious injury, the public only sees the moment of injury and the player’s eventual return. This documentary shines a light on the incredibly challenging journey that plays out in between – a journey shared by the players themselves, their team-mates and so many staff at the club.”
Episode schedule:
Monday 18 December – Episode 1: Football was my happy place
Tuesday 19 December – Episode 2: There’s no place or no people I’d rather go through this with
Wednesday 20 December – Episode 3: This is only the tip of the iceberg
Thursday 21 December – Episode 4: It’s our responsibility to look after each other
Friday 22 December – Episode 5: We need to open about it, we need to be speaking about it
