The Lionesses’ OTHER big goal… Building a post-football career: how stars have built their own identities off the pitch in the event of injury or when their success falters
- Take Captain Leah Williamson, 25, who is currently training to become an accountant
- Striker Bethany England, 28, has been pursuing an Open University law degree for five years
- Meanwhile, Jill Scott, 35, runs a successful coffee shop, Boxx2Boxx
They’ve scored 20 goals, racked up millions of ratings, and inspired the whole country to dream that maybe this time it would come home.
So will the Lionesses of England be victorious? Germany at Wembley in the final of the European Championship tomorrow or not, sporting immortality is theirs.
All of which begs the question: will their humble lives ever be the same again?
Without the financial security of the men’s game, the squad has built its own identity and career off the field in the event of injury or faltering success.
So whether the Lionesses of England triumph over Germany in tomorrow’s European Championship final at Wembley or not, sporting immortality is theirs.
Striker Bethany England, 28, has spent five years pursuing a six-year law degree from the Open University
While the men’s game draws six-figure salaries on a weekly basis, the Women’s Super League (WSL) only pays around £30,000 a year.
Take Captain Leah Williamson, 25, who is training to become an accountant. “When a boy signs up for an academy at the age of 16, he is generally set for life,” said the Arsenal defender.
“It’s a huge contrast in our game and I’m aware of that. It’s ridiculous to think that once your career is over, you’ll be fine.’
Striker Bethany England, 28, has spent five years pursuing a six-year law degree from the Open University.
In her first season in the WSL, she balanced playing for the Doncaster Belles with her A-levels and a job at a fish and chip shop in Barnsley.
“I ended up working in a chippy for three and a half years, working night shifts on Fridays and Saturdays,” said Miss England.
All of which begs the question: will their humble lives ever be the same again?
Meanwhile, Jill Scott, 35, runs a successful coffee shop, Boxx2Boxx – so named for her action-packed midfield
The Chelsea forward has also worked in a bakery, factory, Indian restaurant and M&S to support her career, earning just £150 a month on the pitch when she started.
Meanwhile, Jill Scott, 35, runs a successful coffee shop, Boxx2Boxx, so named for her active midfield.
Several have followed in the academic footsteps of their coach Sarina Wiegman, who studied at the University of North Carolina
23-year-old Alessia Russo – who scored a goal in the semi-final against Sweden – obtained a diploma in sports affairs there after being dropped by Chelsea in 2017 – before landing at Manchester United.
Without the financial security of the men’s game, the squad has built its own identity and career off the pitch in the event of injury or faltering success
Take Captain Leah Williamson, 25, who is training to be an accountant
And goalkeeper Mary Earps, 29, graduated in information management and business administration from Loughborough University and had several jobs to keep herself afloat.
She said, “I had a job at the cinema, a job at a children’s toy store, two coaching jobs, and I worked with my father’s company and did some telesales to pay for my boots and gas.”
Miss Earps nearly retired in 2020 to pursue another career. But with an expected TV audience of 14 million Britons tomorrow and a chance to improve on the men’s team’s second-place finish against Italy at last year’s European Championship, she should be glad she didn’t.