Meet the Team GB women footballers from our region going to the Olympics
The countdown is on until the delayed Tokyo Olympic games.
With less than two months to go, the British Olympic Association has confirmed the selection of 18 footballers who will represent Team GB in the women's squad on the pitch.
This is only the second time that Team GB have entered a women’s football team since the introduction of the sport to the Olympic programme in 1996.
Meet the players from our region who will be a part of it:
Durham-born Steph Houghton
Steph Houghton has played for England in two World Cups and two European Championships as well as starring for Team GB at London 2012. Since her debut in 2007, Houghton has played over 100 times for England and captains both the national team and Manchester City. At club level she has played for Sunderland, Leeds United and Arsenal Ladies.
Jill Scott from Sunderland
Jill Scott also competed alongside Steph in the 2012 Olympics. She is a midfielder with a 15-year England career. Scott plays for Manchester City and is currently on loan to Everton. She has also previously played for Sunderland. Scott has won every domestic honour with Manchester City and scored in the Citizens’ Women’s FA Cup Final victory over Birmingham City in 2017.
Berwick's Lucy Bronze
It will be an Olympic debut for Lucy Bronze who is a defender and also plays for Manchester City and England. In 2019, she became the first English footballer to win the UEFA Women's Player of the Year Award. Bronze was named The Best FIFA Women's Player in December 2020. She has previously played for Sunderland, Everton, Liverpool and Olympique Lyonnais.
Demi Stokes from South Shields
It is a first time Olympics for Demi Stokes who is a defender for Manchester City and England. Stokes joined Sunderland aged 16 and was a key member of the Black Cats squad that reached the Women’s FA Cup Final in 2009 – the same year she helped England win the U19 Euros in Belarus. The left-sided full-back joined City from the South Florida Bulls in January 2015.
Harrogate's Rachel Daly
It will also be an Olympic debut for Rachel Daly, the defender plays for Houston Dash and England. Daly has represented England at the Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, and Under-23 levels. She was voted Houston Dash’s most valuable player for 2018 after scoring a career-high 10 goals.
The full team line-up can be found here.