A World Cup golden boot winner, Ellen White’s eye for goal has made her one of the most feared strikers in the women’s game over the past decade.
She has earned 92 England caps since her debut in 2010 and, in 2012, was part of the Team GB’s first ever women’s football squad at an Olympic Games.
Those memorable weeks proved the springboard for both White and the sport as a whole to kick on to new heights – and the 31-year-old told Radzi Chinyanganya all about her journey so far as part of Team GB’s Moments That Made Me podcast.
The full conversation is available on the Moments That Made Me podcast, in association with the University of Hull, and is available on iTunes, Google and Spotify.
Simply search Team GB wherever you get your podcasts from and you’ll find the Moments That Made Me podcast.
Moment One: First steps
White was born in Aylesbury and grew up in a ‘football-mad’ household, with her dad playing a key role in encouraging her early progress in the sport.
“We didn’t have a football centre, or anything really for youngsters,” she said.
“When I was about five, my dad and one of his friends created a football centre called ‘Mini Dux’. I was the only girl, it was all boys, but we had so much fun.”
Such enjoyable exposure to the game at an early age had White hooked and it wasn’t long before she joined local boys’ team Aylesbury Town, where her talent shone through to quickly silence any doubters.
“When we started to play games, you could see the other team and some of the parents thinking ‘oh, there’s a girl playing’,” she said.
“My Dad says I then just used to run all the way through and score – then they’d think ‘ah, ok!’.
“I’m really pleased and proud there are so many more opportunities for girls growing up now. It is incredible to see so many girls playing and loving football.”
Moment Two: A big decision
White’s potential had not gone unnoticed by Arsenal and she spent her childhood as part of the club’s academy – meaning by the time she finished her GCSEs, White had spent half her life to date at the Gunners.
Then came a stick or twist dilemma which was to play a huge part in White’s development.
“I got to 16 and had the decision of whether to stay at the Arsenal academy and study there, but I wanted to do A-Levels,” she said.
“I went from Arsenal to Chelsea and completely changed schools and clubs. It was a big decision to make – it took me completely out my comfort zone, developing new skills, learning a different philosophy under a new coach and teammates.
“It really helped me develop as a person - my social skills, making new friends – and as a building block in my career.”
At this point, White admitted becoming a professional footballer “was not in my realm”, with her focus on continuing her studies and continuing to University.
Three consecutive seasons as Chelsea’s top scorer quickly opened up new horizons, however, and there was plenty more success around the corner…
Moment Three: Cup glory – and an England bow
White joined Leeds Carnegie from Chelsea in 2008 but suffered an early setback when a cruciate ligament injury led to months on the sidelines.
Come February 2010, White was firing on all cylinders to help the West Yorkshire outfit to FA Women’s Premier League Cup glory, scoring a brace in the final as Leeds beat Everton 3-1.
“We were underdogs but we had such an unbelievable team at the time,” White recalled.
“It was an incredible final for me personally, scoring two goals, but also the team. It was my first trophy and it really drove that winning mentality in me. Winning something as part of a team, standing there with a trophy with your family – it’s an incredible feeling. That gave me a lot of inspiration.”
The following month, White was called into the senior England squad for the first time and found the net on her debut against Austria for the first of her 36 international goals to date.
“It was ridiculous, a dream come true,” she said.
“The goal felt like slow motion. It was an unbelievable pass by Lianne Sanderson and my family say it felt like 10 minutes waiting for it to go in. I did a big Klinsmann dive - it was crazy.
“Playing for England is an unbelievable feeling. Even now, over 90 caps down the road, every time I walk into the changing rooms people laugh at me because I’m still like a kid in a candy store, living the dream.”
Hope Powell had given White her England debut and the same coach took charge of Team GB for their maiden Olympic adventure.
White was part of the squad and victories against New Zealand and Cameroon in Cardiff set up a landmark occasion against Brazil in the final group game.
“We had 70,000 people at Wembley for that and I feel goosebumps now thinking about Steph (Houghton)’s goal,” she said, reflecting on the current England captain’s second-minute winner which secured their third straight win.
And, though Team GB were knocked out by Canada at the quarter-final stage, White believes the Olympic experience was key to helping women’s football hit new heights in the years that followed.
“For any British football player, I don’t think we ever thought we could compete at an Olympics. For a team to be there and to be selected was incredible,” she said.
“The 2012 Olympics propelled the whole notion of women’s football into a different atmosphere.”
England’s success at World Cups has ensured there has been no let-up in the momentum built by the London games.
A third-placed finish in Canada in 2015 had the nation gripped, while White shared the golden boot with USA stars Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan as England reached the last four once more in France last year.
“Since I’ve come back from the World Cup, I’ve had people stop me and say ‘I was watching women’s football over Coronation Street’. I thought ‘I’ll retire now, job done!’”
Thankfully, such thoughts still appear a few years away – White remains a key part of the Manchester City side challenging for FA Women’s Super League honours while 10 more international goals would place her level with Kelly Smith as England’s all-time leading scorer.
And her pride in being a role model for aspiring female sports stars shone through on the Moments That Made Me podcast.
“We have some unbelievably talented sportswomen and female sports teams, who should be on prime time TV and showcased as global stars,” she said.
“It will be incredible to see, in ten years’ time, people who were inspired by Dina Asher-Smith or our football and netball teams. I am incredibly proud to have been a small part of women’s football progressing and developing.”