Kim Little described reaching 400 appearances for Arsenal as “incredibly special” after captaining the Gunners to a dominant 4-0 UEFA Women’s Champions League victory over OH Leuven.
The milestone moment came on a memorable European night in Belgium, where Arsenal combined attacking flair with defensive steel to secure a commanding first-leg advantage.
While the team performance took centre stage, Little’s personal landmark added extra significance to the occasion.
Reflecting on the achievement after the match, the skipper admitted the magnitude of the moment had not gone unnoticed.
“It’s incredibly special,” she said. “Obviously, first and foremost, we came here and got a really good performance and scored four goals. Clean sheet, but yes, it was nice then to just recognise 400 games and yes, it just feels so special.
“I’m incredibly proud to have represented this club that many times.”
Little’s Arsenal journey began back in 2008 in a 4-2 victory away at Leeds United: a memory she still recalls vividly.
“Yes, Leeds away, 4-2, first game, travelled down with my mum, Julie Fleeting, and Julie Stewart at the time!
“It’s a long time ago now, but yes, I still remember it quite vividly and yes, 399 games later, here we are. Yes, it’s really special.”
As the final whistle blew in Leuven, her teammates made sure the moment was celebrated in style, lifting her into the air during the post-match huddle, much to her amusement.
“They’ll have done that because they knew I would have hated it! They held me up well, but yes, just nice words from Leah just to recognise the milestone.
“They make every game so much fun and enjoyable on a daily basis, so let’s hope for a few more as well.
“It was another really strong performance from us. We’ve been on a really good run and we’ve been in a really good performance in another one tonight.
“We’re just in a really good position moving into the second leg next week and obviously now focus on going back to the league at the weekend and move our focus to that.”
With 400 appearances now etched into Arsenal history, Little’s legacy continues to grow. Yet, as her comments suggest, the focus remains firmly on the team’s next challenge: building momentum in Europe and maintaining strong form domestically.
For a player synonymous with professionalism and consistency, this milestone is not just a reflection of longevity, but of sustained excellence at the highest level.
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