Introducing

CAN YOU SHARE YOUR JOURNEY AND KEY MOMENTS THAT SHAPED YOUR CAREER?

One of the biggest moments in my career was when I was seventeen, I left home and went to America for a year. Although it is a country that speaks English, I was forced to leave everything familiar and I was surrounded by confident athletes forcing me out of my comfort zone. The journey I experienced in America paved the way for my career to encourage me to not be afraid to take risks. This confidence ignited and sparked the dream to be the best that I can be in football.

What do you enjoy most about being a professional athlete?

The thing I enjoy the most has always been that I get to eat more food. I burn a lot more calories everyday and I enjoy food. This must be one of the biggest perks that people don't speak about enough.

Do you feel a sense of responsibility as a leading female athlete?

Yes, a lot of female footballers now have more responsibility for being role models for both boys and girls. By being so much more visible and with our popularity going through the roof, there are more eyes on us than ever. We all take this very seriously and want to inspire young people to do what they love, to follow their passion and their dreams.

What challenges have you faced as a female football player?

The challenges that I faced as a female footballer were earlier on in my career where I did not have the support or the resources of what was necessary to play in comparison to male athletes. Balancing education and the dream to be a professional athlete was quite difficult, especially in the early years – not as many people believed in me as much as I believed in myself. When dealing with that inner confidence – a choice had to be made between becoming a professional athlete at a time where it wasn’t considered a career for female athletes.

How can we inspire inclusion in sport?

Making education and training courses more available to a wider range of people from different areas of the country and around the world. Accessibility opens the field up to having more inclusive areas both in the media, fashion, sport, and ultimately the world.

How has the increased visibility and recognition of women's football impacted the sport's growth and popularity globally?

Women's football is the sport that has helped to change society's approach to female athletes. So many people have a huge passion for football, which is supported by the success of our teams bringing so many people together. By getting more women and girls into football, we increase their confidence within society.

Have you found that the increased visibility around female athletes has impacted their inclusion in other areas such as fashion?

Ten to fifteen years ago when I was younger and seeing female athletes who are in fashion, it was one look and one kind of person. I did not feel like I belonged in that mould, and struggled to see my place in the industry. We could still do more to change, but it's going in the right direction. 

Are there particular changes you would like to see fashion brands make to support athletes?

The fashion industry and the sports world are merging more now than ever before. The changes that I would like to see from brands is the inclusivity – and not just the same faces or moulds that fit generically into the industry, but different faces, sizes, and accomplishments. Inclusion helps to inspire people around the world who love fashion, but do not see where they fit in.

Name a female athlete who inspires you?

Growing up, there was not much women's football on TV or in the media, so the athlete who I was inspired by was Kelly Holmes. I remember watching Kelly Holmes in the Olympics and finding her focus, strength, and strong-minded nature an inspiration. The elation and excitement in her face when she crossed the finish line was a feeling that I desired. Funnily enough, she comes and watches England women play now.

In what ways do you believe the clothing choices of athletes can empower them beyond their performance on the field?

Feeling good about how you look and what you wear does make a difference. There’s a player I’ve always played with who says “Look good, feel good, play good”. In Barcelona, we get to turn up to games in our own clothes and I believe that the girls feel more comfortable arriving in that way. In terms of my own style, I try to keep it quite simple and clean, which I find helps me to stay focused and know what I am doing.

How did you feel on set today and in the ALIGNE pieces?

I feel great! I think if this shoot had been ten years ago, I would have been extremely uncomfortable in a world away from football, shorts and football boots, but today I feel empowered by fashion. It is a different route within my career but something that I enjoy as we all have our own looks and things that make us feel comfortable – it is just finding what we feel good in.