Cork City Women’s Football Club full-back Shaunagh McCarthy received a letter from Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin this week, after suffering an ACL injury.

hector bellerin in training
ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Hector Bellerin of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at London Colney on September 12, 2019, in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

McCarthy is currently in the midst of her recovery from an ACL reconstruction, something Bellerin knows all about from his own injury this January.

The Spanish right-back is on the verge of a first-team return with Arsenal, so he sent a letter of encouragement to McCarthy to help lift her spirits for her own journey back to fitness:

McCarthy seemed delighted with the letter, retweeting a number of positive messages and writing on Twitter that she was “speechless” after receiving it. She added that she’s “so motivated to get back and playing better than before”.

Cork City also wished Bellerin well with his return in their Twitter message. Hopefully, he’ll be able to provide further inspiration on the pitch in the coming weeks and months, as he completes the final stage of his recovery with Arsenal.

Rob Holding is in a similar situation, preparing to play his first senior match with the club in over nine months after an ACL injury of his own. There’s no place better than Arsenal for McCarthy to look to for inspiration right now. Good luck to her!