‘I fully believe in the England team’
Arsenal ace Jordan Nobbs talks about the Lionesses’ amazing Euros run as they face Germany in the final and the explosion of the women’s game
After watching the Lionesses give Sweden a 4-0 mauling in their Women’s Euros semi-final last Tuesday, Jordan Nobbs is buzzing about how well her England teammates are doing in the tournament.
When we catch up with the midfielder, who is recovering from a knee injury, she backs them to shine in today’s final against Germany.
She says,“I fully believe in them. It’s an incredible team to be a part of.They’ve got amazing staff around them, which builds togetherness. This tournament has come at a great time for the team.”
Of course, it’s just a year since the nation’s footie fans were left heartbroken by the men’s team’s loss to Italy in the Euros final. So how do the England women handle the pressure?
“It’s not easy,” admits Jordan, 29. “You can look from the outside and think, ‘Oh, they’re not doing this or that’, but the girls have all been in pressured scenarios before and when you are playing for your country, you are always going to have that added fire in your belly.”
As for the advice she would offer the players, Jordan keeps it simple. “Keep doing what you’re doing,”she says with a smile.
Originally from Sunderland, Jordan played for her home team
before making her Arsenal debut in 2010.
She got her first call-up for the senior England squad in 2012, and was made England vice-captain at the 2015 Cyprus Cup, in which the team roared to victory.
Due to her ongoing injury, she has been unable to compete with the Lionesses in the current tournament, which she says has left her feeling a bit “lonely”.
“That football bubble is a very hard place and can be a lonely one at times,”she admits.“I have suffered mentally because of my injury.You go from playing football every day to that being taken away from you.”
Jordan is understandably eager to get back on the pitch, revealing that having the honour to play for your country is just“a dream”.
“When I was a kid and I was absolutely obsessed with football, I didn’t even think that it was possible to play for my national team. But to put the shirt on – there’s no feeling like it,” she explains with very obvious pride.“To walk out and sing the national anthem in front of crowds, it’s honestly what I would have dreamt of as a kid. It’s worth every bit of sacrifice and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
Aside from playing for England, what are her stand-out career moments? “I mean, naturally, signing for Arsenal, one of the best clubs
in the world, was amazing at such a young age and winning 12 major trophies with them. When I look back at myself as a little girl with a dream, I’ve ticked a lot of the boxes!”
Still, a career as successful as this doesn’t come without its sacrifices – and Jordan confesses that she put “everything” on the line for the game.
“I did lose out on a lot of things as a kid, but I’ve also gained a lot in terms of the people I have met and the career I have had,”she says with a shrug, clearly satisfied that she made the right choices.
Football is in Jordan’s blood. Her father is Keith Nobbs, 60, who made 280 appearances as a right back for Hartlepool United – putting him 10th on the all-time appearances list for the club.
Jordan says she was a proper chip off the block and could be found “kicking everything around the house” from an early age.
“I think my mam knew I was going to follow in Dad’s footsteps. He was my role model growing up,” she smiles.
Of course, Jordan is now a role model herself for young girls interested in the game and is overwhelmed by the amount of support she receives.
“It’s crazy when you realise you are getting noticed walking down the street, or people are saying, ‘Oh, I’ve seen you on the TV.’ It’s amazing. I want young people to look up to me.”
While playing football at school and in the park as a kid, Jordan was usually the only girl. But now, attitudes are changing and more females are being encouraged to take part in the sport.
“I was in the park earlier and there were two little eight-year-old girls kicking a ball. It’s just amazing to see. The game is changing and it’s all positives from here.”
Initiatives such as the McDonald’s Fun Football programme are now helping to increase accessibility to the sport. It aims to boost takeup among children aged five to 11 and Jordan is proud to be part of the campaign.
“I would have loved to have been a part of something like this when I was younger,” she admits. “When you don’t have those opportunities or that kind of guidance, you can fall out of love with the game.”
The initiative is also providing more employment opportunities for female coaches and trying to increase the visibility of females in football.
“Growing up, I couldn’t watch women’s football on the telly, whereas now the Lionesses are everywhere,” Jordan tells us with a smile.
“It’s all about just giving young girls that opportunity and making sure everyone knows women playing football is very normal. The only way is up!”
‘Growing up, I couldn’t watch women’s football on the telly, whereas now the Lionesses are everywhere’