‘It’s incredible to see so many female professional footballers’ – Ellen White

England’s record goal scorer, Ellen White MBE, has been reflecting on the huge growth of the women’s professional game and the importance of providing the right guidance for players at every level.

Ellen was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Football Museum in Manchester, at an event supported by The Players Foundation.

In an interview with the Foundation, Ellen said: ‘There are great opportunities to join club academies and become a footballer. It can be a minefield at times but it’s incredible to see so many female professional footballers out there. It’s important to remember that they need support and guidance – not just the players in the Women’s Super League but all the way through the tiers.’

Ellen is the Lionesses’ all-time top scorer, with 52 goals in 113 appearances. She retired after winning the Uefa Women’s 2022 Euros on home soil and is now working in broadcasting and the media. During a 17-year career, Ellen played for Chelsea, Arsenal, Birmingham City and Manchester City in the WSL.

Ellen added: ‘There is that real worry when you retire because we’re not earning millions of pounds. We need to go out and find a job and carry on working for a living. I also wanted a re-set and to have some down time and wanted to start a family.’

And Ellen urged ex-pros to look beyond the game for opportunities once they finish playing: ‘When you’re a footballer, you spend 100% of your time living and breathing your role within the team. The fact is that a lot of those skills are actually transferable, and you can use them in a different environment or a different job.’