Date: 4th June 2024 at 4:36pm
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Shoot sat down for a chat with one of the biggest stars in the FA Women’s Super League…

Face file: 

Name: Ella Toone

Position: Forward

Squad number: 7

Team: Manchester United & England

Birthplace: Tyldesley, Manchester

Height: 1.63m

Date of birth: 02.09.2000

Q: Ella, how do you see yourself?

A: “I was once a little girl with a lot of dreams, and I have just managed to achieve them.”

Q: Who was your inspiration? 

A: “I used to love watching Cristiano Ronaldo. I’d just sit there on my laptop and Google ‘Cristiano Ronaldo skills’ and then go out in the back garden to try to practice them.”

Q: What’s the best thing about being a Manchester United player? 

A: “Growing up a Manchester United fan and then being able to play for the club you love and support week in, week out, is really special.”

Toone is a key player for both England and Manchester United

Q: What’s it like seeing kids with your name on the back of their shirts?

A: “It just feels really weird when I see that or if I hear my name being chanted as well because I’ll always just be Ella and I know where I came from and where my roots are. I’m just a Tyldesley girl.”

Q: You began with United’s academy but had to leave for Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City, how did that come about? 

A: “There was no Manchester United Women’s team back then and nothing to strive for, so I had to make the decision to leave. I was at Blackburn first and then signed a dual contract with Manchester City. When you turn 18, that’s when you are offered a professional contract, but that didn’t happen for me. It was really hard at the time. I sat and cried in a Starbucks for about an hour with my dad and my agent, but looking back it’s probably the best thing that could have happened because it made me focus and work even harder.”

Q: But you went back to United eventually…?

A: “there were rumours that Manchester United were starting a Women’s team so when the manager, Casey Stoney, called my agent to see if I was interested, I nearly bit her hand off! It was Manchester United, my team and my home and I knew they believed in me, and my ambitions matched theirs and I’ve been happy ever since.”

Q: What do you bring to the Lionesses team and what was it like winning the Euros and scoring THAT goal? 

A: “I bring hard work, bravery, playing with freedom and hopefully I can score a lot of goals too! I don’t think we’ll ever get bored of hearing ‘European Champions’. It was an unbelievable summer that we had together, and I think we’ll want to keep remembering it every single day. That will never get old. Scoring in the final was the best feeling I’ve ever had, and it was an unbelievable moment and very special.”

Toone scored in England’s 2022 European Championship final win over Germany

Q: What are your ambitions? 

A: “I want to win everything! I want to win things for myself, like the Ballon d’Or – why not set those targets? This is just the beginning.”

Q: What advice would you give young players hoping to follow in your footsteps? 

A: “Enjoy every minute of it. Now I’ve learnt so much more, I think that you’ve just got to be that little kid who used to play on the street and in the park and just go out there and express yourself in different ways. Just enjoy yourself and be confident and believe in yourself. Make sure that you set yourself some dreams because you can achieve them.”

 
Brought to you by Shoot!

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