Looking at Georgia Stanway's arms and legs is a bit like reading a diary written on her skin. Over a hundred tattoos now adorn the body of FC Bayern Women's No.31. When asked which is her most recent tattoo, she has to think for a moment. “To be honest, I don't know. Maybe this one – it's from the Euros,” she says, stroking her skin. “It says HOME, and the H is made up of two Roman I's, II – like the number two. It stands for my second Euros title.” A symbol of home, of the connection between origin and success. “It reminds me of where I come from and what’s possible if you never stop believing.” For her, her numerous tattoos are markers on her life line, moments captured in ink, so to speak. But those who only know her as a footballer are far from seeing the whole picture.
Wind and waves growing up in Barrow
Now 26, she was born and raised in Barrow-in-Furness, a town with a population of 70,000 in north-west England, two hours north of Manchester. It was here that she learned early on what solidarity means. “Everything is very close together; everyone knows almost everyone else. It's a very special place for me. The people here have always supported me. My childhood had a strong influence on me,” she says.
Barrow is not a place of extravagance, but one of consistency. Stanway spent her youth outdoors, always on the move. “We had a bit of everything – beach, hills, lakes. I was constantly on the go, always active.”
A competitive home
With three brothers in the house, life was a never-ending competition. “It was always two against two in the garden – the oldest and the youngest against the two in the middle. Who finished dinner first, who sat in the front seat of the car – everything was a game, a race.” Sport was never an option for them, but a way of life. “My parents are both PE teachers. I had no choice – I had to join in. It shaped my personality.”
Georgia Stanway on growing up with three brothers
When asked about her first idol, she answered without hesitation: Alan Shearer. “I collected his stickers and cards and gave them to my grandparents every year. It was our ritual.” Her passion for football was all-encompassing from an early age. And it demanded sacrifices. In order to be able to play in a girls' team at all, she commuted as a teenager to Blackburn Rovers, the nearest club that accepted girls. “My goal is to make Barrow a little more accessible at some point, so that other girls don't have to travel several hours just to play football.”
Big step to City
At just 16 years of age, Georgia began her professional career at Manchester City, making the leap into the world of international football. There, she learned to deal with pressure, take responsibility and convert chances into goals with surgical precision. She wore the jersey of the club she admired as a child from 2015 to 2022 – and with which she also scored a goal or two against her upcoming opponents, Arsenal.
Arsenal: Respect and rivalry
When Stanway talks about the Gunners, her words convey a mixture of admiration, rivalry and quiet nostalgia. “Arsenal have always been a winning team for me,” she says. Even as a child, she watched the north London club set standards in terms of playing culture, structure and self-image. Kelly Smith, the legendary striker, was her early role model. “Her move to the USA and then back to the English league showed me that women's football can have an international stage.” Today, Stanway considers Arsenal to be a trendsetter. “They set standards, both in terms of sport, organisation and marketing. When Arsenal play at the Emirates Stadium, it's no longer a men's stadium. It's simply a stadium. For everyone.”
The North Londoners' Champions League triumph left her with a bittersweet aftertaste. “We had an outstanding game against them here at the Campus, winning 5-2. It could just as easily have been our path.” At the same time, she recognises the significance of the success: “It was important that another team won, not Lyon or Barcelona. It showed that anyone can reach the top with the right attitude.”
Stanway has clear ideas about how to beat Arsenal in the upcoming clash at the Allianz Arena: “We need to stay calm, control the ball, take our chances and remain solid at the back. Arsenal can create goals from isolated moments, so we need to be prepared for that.”
At home at Bayern
Stanway has been living in the Bavarian capital for three years now. The move from the English Women's Super League to Germany was not only a sporting venture, but also a personal one. An English soul, shaped by the discipline of Bavarian football. In Munich, she has learned to appreciate tranquillity, to find herself and to enjoy her own company. “I gradually discovered that I love silence. When my flat is tidy, my head is clear. Then I can focus on everything else on the pitch.”
Bayern not only gives her sporting prospects, but also space to express her personality. Consistent, authentic, direct. Integrating into a new country was more than just a sporting challenge. “You miss your family and friends, that's normal. But here I've learned to appreciate my own routines, to structure myself.” The team is much more than just a team to her. It's a community, a kind of family, an important source of support. “We can spontaneously say, ‘Let's go out for dinner.’ Then the whole gang comes along.”
When Stanway talks about her life at Bayern, she sounds settled. “I spend a lot of time with Glo and Zadi,” she says. Glódís Viggósdóttir and Sarah Zadrazil are two of her closest friends in the team. “Glo even lives in the same building as me. When I don't feel like cooking, I just text her: 'What's for dinner tonight?’ Then she knows she has to make an extra portion.” According to Stanway, the Icelandic defender is particularly skilled at Mexican cuisine. This little scene tells us more than just an anecdote: it reflects familiarity, solidarity and a sense of home. “It's one of the closest teams I've ever played in,” says Stanway.
Stanway's natural authority is immediately apparent on the pitch – not through loudness, but through presence and precision. Her playmaking qualities and her choice of the rare shirt number 31 bring back memories of Bastian Schweinsteiger, although the choice was made because of her date of birth, 3 January. She is both an anchor and a compass. For her, leadership means above all consistency and clear communication. “You don't always have to be loud, but you do have to be reliable,” she says. Stanway corrects, motivates and structures. She’s direct without ever coming across as authoritarian.
Creativity away from football
However, the two-time European champion is much more than just an outstanding footballer. Off the pitch, she unleashes her creativity in photography, but above all in tattooing. She has been passionately pursuing this hobby for around two years. Some of her teammates have already had her design or even tattoo them, and Stanway showcases her work on her own Instagram page. At first glance, her designs seem playful: a ghost, a balloon, a heart, the words ‘lots and lots like jellytots’, plus a jellyfish, a dinosaur, a stick figure and an ice cream cone. But there’s also meaning behind the apparent randomness. On her right bicep, she has the number ‘209’ – a reference to the fact that she is the 209th player to play for the England national team.
Stanway is particularly proud of the tattoo she designed especially for her national teammate and close friend Beth Mead. Mead, who plays for Arsenal, their upcoming Champions League opponents, has the word ‘Home’ tattooed on her skin, just like Stanway herself, framed by the sparkling stars of the Champions League. The delicate motif tells the story of a glorious season, triumph in the Champions League and a successful title defence with the Lionesses. Stanway herself would not mind having a very similar tattoo one day, as she likes her own idea so much. On Wednesday evening, she and Mead will cross paths once again at the Allianz Arena, where friendship and rivalry, but also art and creativity, will come together.
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