Ella Toone looks something different than how fans usually see her when she sits down to talk to post sport.
Hair in pin curls, a full face of make -up and dressed in a burgundy suit, I meet her in a hotel room in Fancy Covent Garden Hotel The Nomad, where she photographs content for global make -up brand Charlotte Tilbury.
The 25-year-old from Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, has settled as one of the biggest names in women's football.
She was a key figure in the historic Euro 2022 victory of England and came out of the couch to score in both the quarterfinals against Spain and in the final against Germany in Wembley.
In August 2023, Toone scored her first World Cup against Australia in the semi -final, which became the first English football player, male or female, he scored in a quarterfinals, semi -final and final of a big tournament.
What followed was a huge presence on social media, a YouTube channel, a podcast, a book and contracts with global brands.
“There is no pressure on the fact that I am a role model, because I am only myself as a person and I will never change,” she tells me. 'It was a shock after winning the euros, more people recognize me and unable to walk through the street without people who asked for a photo.
'That was difficult in the beginning, because nobody knew a lot about women's football. It has been a change, but one that we wanted. '
On Tuesday, Toone was mentioned in the team in the hope of defending their Euro title, in July in Switzerland.
And after graduating from replacement to a fully -fledged starter in the Sarina Wiegman team, Toone is convinced that England can win again.
“There is a lot of talent there and we have now been to a euro and a world cup and we want to make sure we go there and do the same thing we did last time,” said Toon, who has 19 England goals in 57 caps.
'The most important thing for us was to make the nation proud and to inspire the next generation that comes through and to continue to the field and to give it absolutely everything we have. This time it will be more difficult than the previous one, everyone wants to beat us, but that's what it's about and we love those big games. '
Toone has 753,000 Instagram followers and 75,000 subscribers on YouTube and 10.3 million likes on TIKTOK.
She tells me that she has made the decision to be more open about her life to inspire the next generation and to give people insight into her personality. But with the whole world that monitors her every movement, she says she has used to counseling to eliminate help from playing and that she is 'not a robot'.
“I have the most difficult to eliminate the most difficult thing about my career,” she said. 'I am obsessed with football and it is all that I usually think about. I have learned that you have to switch off the game to ensure that you can give 100 percent when you are on the field.
'I speak with a counselor that really helps me, to get everything on the table for someone who is not involved. And that helped me enormously.
'On the other hand, I naturally like a little store therapy and go shopping, eat good food and just be with my family and friends.
'With my social media and YouTube, the most important thing was to give people a little insight into me away from the field to help them communicate with me.
'It's hard to visit everyone and meet people and spend time with fans, it's not that sustainable now that the game has grown.
'I think as a person I am relatible and that is what people like, so it's fun to get my personality outside it. I'm not just a robot, I'm a human. '
A product from the United Youth Academy, Toone was forced to leave the club in 2013 when the owners of United de Glazer dissolved the ladies team.
Instead, she broke through with Blackburn and then crossed Manchester to sign for the city in 2016. But she returned to the red side of the city when she heard that United had gained access to the newly formed women's championship in 2018.
A passionate United fan that grew up on the idolat of Cristiano Ronaldo, she received the famous No 7 shirt that was worn by legend himself, as well as David Beckham and Eric Cantona. It is now the most sold ladies shirt in the United Store.
She launched her own brand, named ET7, in which she became the first lioness to trademark her name and opened her own academy. The Academy has been a huge hit with local talent.
Ella's friend Joe Bunney is also a football player, with Stalybridge Celtic in the Northern Premier League. She credits him because he helped her set up her academy.
She said: “I look back on my base and where I started and my mother still says to me:” Make sure you are never rude, always stay modest, “and I have always driven into me.
'So when we won the euros and my profile became bigger, I wanted to do something to help that next generation and my community.
“I started the academy and it was a dream. The people around me got it going, I couldn't have done it without my friend Joe, he started everything all over again.
“He coaches there and does absolutely everything. The girls all love him. And I still have a coach who coached me when I was at the United Academy, so to have him there, to help these girls and their journeys is special.
'I just wanted it to be a place for girls to come and enjoy the game and catch a few of those who may have fallen through the net. The talent we have there is great, I'm going to look and I think wow, these are much more talented than I ever was at that age.
“I just want someone to make it where they want in football and that I play a small role in it, it will be great.”
While she is dressed and done with her hair and makeup, I ask Ella if she enjoys the glamor that is now coming to the job. She has been working with the global make -up brand Charlotte Tilbury since 2023 and has drawn other partnerships with Nike, WOW Hydrate and Access Sport.
“Every day I go to training in a training suit and a kit without makeup and my hair tied up,” she said. “And I'm dirty and sweating. To come to be gave is great and I really enjoy it.
'I like to do it all, the schedule is busier, which made it harder, and of course my most important focus is a football player at the end of the day, but being able to perform consistently, but this stuff away from the field that I really like to do.
'When I grew up, the female game was not so seen or heard and now in the position that I am and have opportunities, to work with brands and go on red carpets, it is something that I never thought it would happen.
“I just wanted to play football. And being a football player does not take forever and I just embrace all these opportunities. The most important thing, however, is that I keep performing on the field. '
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