Lionesses legend Rachel Daly set for Wembley welcome

Rachel Daly returns to the Wembley pitch on Saturday evening to receive her Number 195 England legacy cap, and to be honoured for the 84 appearances she made for the Lionesses between 2016 and 2024, when she announced her retirement from international football.

Of all her England appearances, her most memorable one was of course at Wembley itself, on 31 July 2022 – the day, she says, that changed everything.

“I always use the analogy about going into the EUROs, it was like going into Love Island. You go in as nobody and you come out as somebody famous. Everyone always laughs when I say that, but it’s exactly how it felt.”

The 2-1 win against Germany in the UEFA Women’s EURO final earned the Lionesses their first major trophy and created a wider legacy: “It completely changed the way women’s football looks in England. For the better.”

Daly started every game at the tournament, playing at left-back. She picks out the 8-0 win against Norway – “that was unheard of!” – Georgia Stanway’s stunning winner in the comeback against Spain in the quarter-final, and the 4-0 semi-final win over Sweden as top memories: “And then yeah, the final was just absolute madness.

“I feel like it was the experiences we had off the pitch that made us win that tournament. I remember us playing volleyball when we had an afternoon off, and it was literally the whole team and the whole staff playing. Those are the memories that stick out for me because that’s what made us a team.”

Daly’s journey started as a football mad young girl, kicking a ball around with her dad and older brother in the garden of their home in Harrogate.

She joined her grassroots club, Killinghall Nomads, before being invited to join the girls’ centre of excellence at Leeds, the club she’s supported all her life.

At the same time, she was progressing through the England youth teams and in 2008, she was a member of the Young Lionesses squad that finished fourth in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.

After a spell with Lincoln Ladies, Daly moved to America to further her career. It was while playing for Houston Dash that she made her senior England debut, in a EURO qualifier against Serbia at Wycombe Wanderers’ ground in June 2016. She made an immediate impact, scoring as a substitute in a 7-0 win: “When I got the nod to go on, I was beside myself, I was like, I can’t believe it,” she recalls.

“Ellen [White] unselfishly squared a pass to me when everyone probably would have predicted her to bury it herself. I just remember it falling at my feet and thinking, ‘Oh my God, here’s the opportunity to get my goal’. It was just a dream.”

Her next big moment came at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France – her first senior international tournament: “I was fortunate enough to feature in quite a lot of the games. It was disappointing to get to the semi and lose again, that narrative of being a semi-final team was still there. But what an experience.”

Daly was in the starting line-up when England did reach the FIFA Women’s World Cup final in 2023. They arrived in Australia not only as European Champions but also as winners of the first ever UEFA Women’s Finalissima, after beating South American champions Brazil on penalties at Wembley – Daly was one of the successful penalty takers.

It proved a good rehearsal for the tense penalty shootout win over Nigeria in the round of 16, when Daly again netted her spot kick. Earlier, she also got on the scoresheet in the 6-1 group stage win over China.

Despite losing 1-0 to Spain, reaching the final is another major career highlight: “There was heartbreak that we couldn’t get over the final hurdle, but I’m really proud of what we did.”

Daly’s final England appearance was as a late substitute in the 2-0 win against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

In her 84 games for the Lionesses, she scored 16 goals. Her bubbly personality made her a fans’ favourite, and it’s no surprise she’s featured in many of the most iconic Lionesses photos from the past couple of years: “I’m probably a bit like Marmite, you either love that or you hate that, being the loud one!

“I’m always trying to make the group see the fun, especially alongside Millie [Bright]. It was quite easy to do that with your best friend alongside you.”

Now 32, Daly is focusing on her club career with Aston Villa and spending more time with her family. She’s also become an ambassador for the Cure Leukaemia charity.

You’ll still be seeing her at England games – only this time she’ll be cheering the team on from the stands: “I honestly feel like I’m England’s No.1 fan. I’ll go to as many games as I can and be there to support the girls because ultimately, it’s your country, but they’re my friends as well. And of course, I’m going to try to get out to support the girls at the EUROs.”