Having soared as the 2022 Euros Player of the Tournament in July, Beth Mead faced a dramatic turn of events in November that year when she suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament at Emirates Stadium during a Women's Super League match against Manchester United.
In a cruel twist of fate, her partner and Netherlands international Vivianne Miedema experienced the same heart-wrenching injury on the same pitch in December against Lyon.
The duo are Arsenal's crown jewels in attack. Mead has the most WSL assists of all time, while Miedema boasts the record for most goals. During their absence last season, the club encountered significant challenges on the field but, beyond the curtain, the emotional struggle the injured pair endured was far more gruelling.
In their five-part documentary series, Step by Step, Arsenal take fans behind the scenes to shine a spotlight on Mead and Miedema's emotional and taxing nine-month recovery process in an intimate story of loss, grief and recovery.
What is Step by Step about?
The exclusive documentary series takes viewers behind the scenes at key stages of Mead and Miedema's recovery - including pre and post-surgery and their first steps back into training - and explores the mental and physical toll of not being able to play the game they adore.
During her rehabilitation, Mead experienced the tragic passing of her mother, June, to ovarian cancer. Weaving the profound impact of this loss into the narrative, the storyline introduces an emotional dimension to the pair's journey.
"This is a story that we're desperate to tell, having experienced first-hand the physical and mental challenges involved in recovering from an ACL injury," Mead said of the documentary. "We've all seen how many ACL injuries there have been across the women's game in recent months and years and we want to use our experience to help future generations of girls."
In addition to the players' personal recovery stories, the documentary also follows the couple as they sit down with world-leading experts in fields ranging from ACL injury prevention to mental health and female physiology and endocrinology.
Miedema added: "I'm really pleased that we've been able to bring this story to life for our supporters and the wider public. As players, we feel a responsibility to highlight this issue and do what we can to drive conversations that we hope will improve our understanding of why this injury happens at such a high rate in women's football.
"From having spoken to a range of experts through this process, we know there is no quick-fix - but by sharing our experiences and talking about this issue, we can all contribute to improving the situation for the future."
How the episodes work
The first episode launched on Monday 18 December at 17:00 GMT, with new episodes dropping daily at the same time until Friday 22 December.
Episode 1: Football was my happy place
Discusses the nature of an ACL injury. The pair relive the moments they suffered their injuries and the early days of their recovery. Spoiler alert: This episode includes scenes of Miedema's surgery, so you may want to look away if you're squeamish.
Episode 2: There's no place or no people I'd rather go through this with
Explores the impact of two other ACL injuries within the team suffered by Laura Wienroither and Leah Williamson. Talking about the importance of solidarity, the episode discusses how isolating an injury can be.
Episode 3: This is only the tip of the iceberg
Hears from experts about the impact Mead's mum's illness may have played on the pair's injuries. Talking to leading medical professionals, the episode looks at optimising injury prevention methods in young girls.
Episode 4: It's our responsibility to look after each other
A real tear jerker. Mead speaks candidly about her mum's deterioration and the stress this played on their bodies. Miedema delves into her struggles as a young player, pressure and learning how to let people help her.
Episode 5: We need to open about it, we need to be speaking about it
Features both players returning to the pitch and looks at what needs to be done to safeguard the next generation of female footballers.
How to watch Step by Step
Viewers can watch the episodes via Arsenal.com and the official Arsenal app with their free digital membership.
