GREATIE McCABE

Sheva in awe of her Ireland teammate's rise to level of Champions League winner

- BY GARRY DOYLE

THERE is not one footballer who hasn't experienced a sliding doors moment — one option opening the way to a disaster, the other to a Champions League final.

For Katie McCabe, her career-changing incident happened eight years ago when a loan move to Glasgow City reminded her of everything she had but showed her everything that could be lost.

Now look at her, the fourth Irish woman to win a Champions League, and just the 14th Irish player in all to pocket the most coveted medal in club football.

Marissa Sheva has stood at that crossroads junction, too.

"Yeah, you've just given me goosebumps thinking about what Katie achieved," says Sheva, McCabe's fellow Irish international.

"I can't even imagine how she feels. I don't think it's sunk into the rest of us as winning the Champions League is one of the top things you can do.

"It's just incredible. She's proven herself on the biggest stages in the world now.

"And we're excited for her. Hopefully she has many, many more opportunities to make it back to the Champions League final, and I don't doubt for a second that she'll be back many times. I hope she's celebrating hard right now."

Yet Sheva is also drinking the moment in.