Women's EURO series EQUALS: Episode 3 – Hero to zero

The third episode of EQUALS, free to view on UEFA.tv, hears from stars of the women's game past and present as they discuss the highs and lows of top-level football.

Four teams approaching UEFA Women's EURO 2022 from different viewpoints – first-time participants, defending champions and competition favourites – are featured, and we find out how injury and illness take their toll on some of the game's leading lights.

Spain's Alexia Putellas talks about being ruled out on the eve of the tournament, Northern Ireland's Simone Magill discusses her injury in their first finals game, Netherlands' Vivianne Miedema shares her experience of being ill during the finals and France's Marie-Antoinette Katoto is also featured.

Alexia Putellas
"It was important for me to experience a game first hand at EURO, even if that meant sitting there with my knee in that state. For me mentally, it was good because I could cast away the thoughts that had been running through my mind for a long time.  It wasn't the way I had in mind, but… During that game, they knew I was there. They dedicated all the goals to me. It was a gesture to say: 'We'll do everything we can to make you feel good.' I'm really grateful to my team-mates and for every message I received."

Vivianne Miedema
"I was sitting alone in my room on FaceTime to Sari [van Veenendaal] and Jackie [Groenen] at that moment, and to be really honest, we were all crying, obviously when the national anthem was on. It's just been devastating not to be part of the team, not to help the team. I felt really good. It probably could have been my EURO, if you look back at it – how I felt and obviously how I've been feeling the past couple of years."

Simone Magill
"I just remember feeling this popping sort of sensation and I immediately knew I'd done something really, really bad; 'I've done my ACL. Why did this have to happen to me?' I was just so angry and upset, as opposed to being in pain in that moment. I just remember the physio and the doctor ran over and they were trying to say, 'Can you straighten your leg? Can you stand on it?' I was like: 'I need to get off the pitch right now. I know what this is, just get me off.'"