How England women’s football team overcame heartbreak and rape threats to become Lionesses
Their stories are as inspiring as their trophy wins
IN the wake of last night’s 2-0 victory over Spain, hopes are high for England women’s football to bring home the World Cup trophy from France this summer.
But it’s not all been plain sailing for these amazing women and many of them have overcome huge obstacles to get into the national team.
From battles with mental illness to the tragic deaths of their brothers and mothers, their personal stories are as moving and inspiring as their trophy wins.
The team for the opening match against Scotland, on June 9, has not been finalised but, as Phil Neville’s squad prepare for the tournament, the Lionesses have never looked more fierce.
Beloved brother died after taking ecstasy
Lucy Staniforth is the daughter of football coach and player Gordon Staniforth and was described as “one of the best young players in Europe” by former coach Mark Sampson.
But she was just 16 when her brother Tom, who played for Sheffield Wednesday, collapsed and died after taking ecstasy on a night out in York in 2001.
Birmingham City Midfielder Lucy, now 26, originally from York, wears her brother’s number 37 on her club shirt as a tribute.
She said: “Both of my brothers loved football when I was growing up and, as soon as I could walk, they were throwing balls at me and I was kicking them.
“It was such a shame that Tom died at a time when he had got where he had in the game.
“I’m now hoping to fill the void that he left in terms of what he could have achieved. That’s my incentive and I am sure that he would be proud that I’ve got to this level.”
Two holes in the heart
Reading midfielder Jade Moore, 27, made her England senior team debut in 2012, and was part of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup team that took home bronze medals.
But, at the age of 17, Jade was almost forced to rethink her footballing ambitions when a cardiac screening before a youth training session found two holes in her heart.
“It was very touch and go - and I was a millimetre from having to have open heart surgery," the midfielder told the BBC.
“It did happen at a crucial time in my life, and did open my eyes to what life would be like without football."
Luckily, the problem was corrected with a device, inserted through a flexible tube leading from her upper thigh to her heart, which closes the holes.
Jade, from Worksop, said it made her “look at life differently."
‘I got rape and death threats’
Chelsea player Karen Carney has over 130 caps for England and has played in seven straight major tournaments – a record for any player, male or female.
But in 2011, she had just rejoined Birmingham City after a stint in the States, during which time depression almost made her give up the game.
"There was one point where I wouldn't get out of my car,” she said.
"I hated football with a complete passion. I had no desire. I had no want to do it.”
She credits team-mate Laura Bassett with helping her out of her slump. "She literally dragged me out of my car and she was like, 'You're coming with me',” Karen said.
In October 2018, Karen hit out at trolls after receiving rape and death threats on social media after not scoring a goal.
England boss Phil Neville described the messages as "absolutely disgraceful".
The posts began: "How many chances you need to score in second half bitches" before making rape and death threats.
Carney wrote "wow, some people..." in response to the messages.
Depression brought on by mum’s death
Growing up, Chelsea star Fran Kirby was nicknamed ‘Mini Messi’ at the age of seven.
She quickly worked her way through the youth teams in her hometown of Reading, and made her debut for the first team at the age of 16.
But the following year hung up her football boots because of a battle with depression brought on by the tragic death of mum Denise, who died from a brain haemorrhage in 2008, when Fran was 14.
She rediscovered her love of the game in 2012 and soon became a key member of the Lionesses.
She said: “My mum was massively important to everything I’ve done and now her memory is a motivational tool for me.
“I want to make my family proud, as much as possible.”
Husband diagnosed with motor neurone disease
Team Captain Steph Houghton is one of the most high-profile of the team and was the first first female player to grace the cover of Shoot magazine, in 2014.
But the 30-year-old, from Durham, has said she may have to miss the World Cup – after footballer husband Stephen Darby was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Stephen, who played for Liverpool, Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers, had to retire in September at the age of 29.
But Manchester City star Steph is hoping he will be well enough for her to lead the squad to France next summer.
She told the Daily Mail: “I’m here because I feel I’m right to be here and it’s driven by Stephen.
“He wants me to go. He says, ‘Get out of the house’.
“Because it happened so quickly, (my future with England) would all depend on how Stephen is. He’s my priority.
"If anything were to change in the near future, my job is to be the best wife that I can be and to look after him. But at the moment, everything is great. He’s as good as ever.”
'Felt no-one cared' and suffered from crippling shyness
Lucy Bronze was mortified when she was banned from playing with her local boys’ team at 11 because of FA rules.
Several times a week, her dad drove her to training with a female team, 90 minutes from their Berwick-on-Tweed home but she found it hard to mix.
She said “I was really, really shy.
“I used to finish school, jump in the car, come back and go to bed. I missed out on socialising with my friends when I was a shy child anyway.”
Although she persevered her football dreams suffered a fresh blow when she had the first of four knee injuries at 18 – and was dropped from the national team while she lay in her hospital bed.
“I’d got a phone call that said I wasn’t going to get picked for the coming England camp, even though it was four months away. That was it – I didn’t get any other help.”
She got herself fit by running up and down stairs but by the age of 23, she had four knee ops.
At one point, she was told she wouldn’t be picked again as the team lacked the funds to help her overcome the injuries.
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“I felt like no one really cared about me. That they didn’t think I would make it, that [they thought] I wasn’t going anywhere.
“That was the hardest thing: being left alone by the people I thought were meant to be supporting me.”
But she said the rejection made her stronger and more determined. After playing for clubs including Liverpool and Manchester City, she signed for Olympic Lyonnais in 2017 and, since 2013 has been an key player for the Lionesses.