LIONESSES AIMING TO BRING EURO GLORY HOME
ENGLAND take on Italy at Vale Park, Stoke-on-Trent, on Friday, April 7 and Austria at Stadium MK, Milton Keynes, on Monday, April 10 in their home send-off games ahead of the Euros this summer. You can buy tickets at thefa.com/tickets and show your support using #Lionesses online. CAPTAIN Steph Houghton, 28, is ready to lead her Lionesses to victory – and knows they can go all the way. The Man City defender, who boasts 83 England caps, says: “We’ve got really strong hopes for being successful come July. “These girls are athletic and physically strong and I think people admire us for being footballers rather than women who play football. “We’ve just got to enjoy the moment, make sure we wear the shirt with pride and show what we’re about. “As captain, I’m there to lead by example, on and off the pitch. My role is being the voice for the girls, making sure we’re as happy as we possibly can be. “We love football and we’re together all the time so it’s important you all get on. “The majority of the squad have experienced the World Cup, a lot of us have grown up together so you know you can NADINE LINGE rely on each other.” Steph, who sees Germany and France as their fiercest rivals, is also looking to what legacy they leave behind. “We owe it to ourselves to leave the game in a better position when we stop playing,” she explains. “We want young girls to aspire to be a professional footballer and play for England. “We take the role-model tag very seriously and it’s great for us to give something back and inspire young girls.” THIS is Nikita Parris’s first senior tournament and the 23-year-old is over the moon to have made the cut. And while she recognises the women don’t earn anything like the wages of the male stars, she thinks what’s more important is the love of the game. “I’m buzzing to be selected, I feel I’ve been waiting for this for so long,” she says. “Everyone is fighting for each other and we all want great things for each other. We go into every game wanting to win and you have to love the game most of all. We’ve got to work hard on the pitch in these big tournaments to show that women’s football can compete. “Money is great to have but if you’re not enjoying your job, what’s the point? And money doesn’t help you win.” Nikita spent eight years at Everton before moving to Manchester City three years ago. And she’s ready to make her mark at the Euros. She adds: “No one really knows who I am now but hopefully at the end of the tournament they will. “We’re going into the Euros confident. I’m ready to come out triumphant with the trophy.” for ELLEN White, who plays is Birmingham City, says the squad spurs like a family – and that’s what them on to such great success. of She says: “It’s the togetherness that the team, how we’ve worked on away from the football pitch. “We’ve worked on team-building and we want to be like a family. long “When you’re away for a is period of time, the togetherness potentially what makes or breaks you as a team. “But ultimately it’s our hard work professional and dedication as well – we’re and athletes and we trust respect each other as footballers.” Ellen is looking forward to squaring up to Scotland in their first match of the tournament. The 28-year-old forward, who has 62 England caps and 20 goals, says: “Our biggest rival in our group has got to be Scotland. I know a lot it’s people in the Scotland team so of it’s going to be an exciting game, going to be feisty and passionate. also “Spain and Portugal are to fantastic teams so they are going be tough opposition for us. but “It’s going to be a challenge, one we can’t wait for.”