By Jack Gallagher
Khiara Keating has admitted that she wasn't expecting to breakthrough at both club and international level during the 2023/24 season.
The 19-year-old goalkeeper has been inarguably one of the best performing young players in the WSL during the current campaign, displacing Ellie Roebuck as City's first choice goalkeeper thanks to her superb performances.
As well as starring a club level, Keating also deservedly received her maiden senior international call-up in October 2023 for the UEFA Women's Nations League clashes with Belgium.
Speaking exclusively to 90min, courtesy of Gatorade, about her extraordinary breakthrough, Keating said:
"It came as a shock, and I really wasn't expecting it," admitted Keating. "[Everyone]'s been great, the girls, the fans, the manager, the staff; everyone has been so welcoming and just given me the confidence I've needed to go out and perform out there.
"It's been a huge season of learning from, not only City, but England as well. Being around such big players, like the likes of Mary [Earps], Ellie [Roebuck], Sandy [MacIver], I think you learn so much, and obviously the more the play the more you learn too. It's been really exciting.
"Being around such good players and people that are calm in situations, like I've been on the bench when we've needed to win games and seen how the likes of Steph [Houghton] and Jill [Roord] do it, and seeing that is just really calming, and knowing that they're on the bench supporting you and your teammates really helps."
"Steph and Demi [Stokes] have always been the people that have put an arm around me. They're my football mums, as I call them."
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as 'I wasn't expecting it' - Khiara Keating reflects on breakout season with Manchester City and England.
