It didn’t take Grace Clinton long to announce her Lionesses arrival. 

Back in February, her left foot shot against Austria struck the inside of the post shortly after she ran out for the first time with England, at the Estadio Nuevo Mirador. 

Then, on 19 minutes, she scored a header from a Lauren Hemp cross, to crown a glorious opening to her international career.

“It was such an amazing feeling, and there was maybe a bit of relief as well,” she says. “There’s obviously a big build-up to your first game for your country, and some nerves as well, so to get that goal so quickly, you feel like you’ve done your job.”

For her family watching on, it was an understandably emotional moment.

“When you see mum crying, and then my dad – you can see what it meant to them, you can see how proud they are,” says Clinton. “Everyone’s family, when they see their kids out there playing the sport they love and seeing them succeed, it’s special for all of us. 

My parents tell me all the time how proud they are, and that means so much.”

Clinton and her squad mates are now fully focused on preparing for next summer's UEFA Women's EURO Finals in Switzerland, with more testing games against South Africa, USA and Switzerland to come.

“Now we’ve done the job [of qualifying] early, there are plenty of opportunities in friendlies for the manager to see the way the players connect in the run up to the tournament. 

"If I do get a chance I obviously want to do as well as I can."

Read more from Clinton in the matchday programme for England v South Africa.