'The whole day was amazing': Jersey girl chosen as Wembley football mascot

A nine-year-old girl from Jersey was chosen to represent Ireland as a football mascot at Wembley Stadium yesterday (17 November).

Dolly-Rae Budworth was selected as a mascot after her dad, Adam, nominated her last year.

She was given the opportunity to wear the Irish kit, watch the players warm up, escort player Callum O'Dowda out of the tunnel and onto the pitch, and then watch the match from prime position.

Speaking about the experience, Dolly said: "At the start I was a bit nervous, but once I got out there, I thought - actually it isn't that bad!

"I was told where to look for my dad, so I looked up at him during the national anthem."

The match was watched by almost 80,000 people, and Dolly thought the atmosphere was amazing.

She adds that she was inspired by meeting some of her favourite football stars.

"My favourite bit was high-fiving all of the players. I high-fived Jude Bellingham, Kyle Walker, and I shook the Irish manager's hand. The whole day was amazing."

Adding an element of tension to her participation, however, is the fact that Dolly's national allegiance is split: her mum is Irish, whilst her dad is English. So where do Dolly's loyalties lie?

She says: "I was [an Irish] mascot but ... if I had a preference it would probably have been England."

However, there is one team she is definitely clear on her support for.

When asked to give the name of the club she supported to organisers at Wembley, she's a Jersey Bulls fan through-and-through.

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