Old photo of Yorkshire Lionesses star Rachel Daly shows she was destined to play for England

Volunteers at Killinghall Nomads Juniors FC in Harrogate, said the WSL's top scorer was 'really talented' and 'dedicated to football' from an early age. So it comes as no surprise to them that the 10-year-old girl who posed for a photo in a replica shirt at the club will now be stepping out in a World Cup final in a real one.

And they'll be cheering on the Aston Villa forward in Sunday's showpiece from a hotel near But her mum won't be there as she's 'too nervous', club spokeswoman Mary Beggs-Reid revealed.

Mary said: "We did invite Louise but I think she's too nervous so wants to watch it with her immediate family at home. I'm nervous so I can't even imagine what she's feeling. But I think she's quite confident because she really does think it's just their time. She's really proud of Rachel, she's got her own Lioness and it must be an amazing feeling.

"Everyone that coached and played with Rachel back then say she was immensely talented. At that time, women's football wasn't massive but they always thought she'd go to the top of the sport, wherever that may have been. We were laughing when we found the picture, because we thought 'it's like she knew'. She obviously always dreamt of playing for England."

Rachel, 31, started playing for the club when she was around seven. Her dad Martyn, who died in September 2021, helped found the club in 1984 and Rachel used to 'tag along' to matches to watch him and her brother. She joined the club's boys team but Martyn founded a girl's team a few years later, which Rachel played for until she was 12.

She then went on to represent England at U-15, U-17, U-19, and U-23 levels and was part of the Lionesses team that won the Euros last year. Rachel has become a household name after winning last season's Golden Boot with 22 goals in 22 Women's Super League games with Aston Villa.

And she's has played a key part in England's World Cup campaign, often featuring at wing-back and she netted in the 6-1 victory against China in the group stages.

Mary added: "We're immensely proud, she's just been absolutely amazing in the Euros and now in the World Cup. For Rachel and the Lionesses, this is a moment in history and they are pioneers for women's football. They've given the dreams and hopes to so many young girls. I just think it's amazing and outstanding on what the Lionesses have done.

"It's the first time we've ever been in the final so even if we lose, win or draw, I just think they've inspired a nation. They are going to go down in history and it's monumental. Her dad was a huge part of the club and so many of our coaches and our chairman were good friends with Martyn. He'd be so proud of her now, it's just a shame he isn't around to see this."

Mary said the majority of the coaches who knew Rachel no longer volunteer at the club, which is just a stone's throw away from her family home.

But a couple of people who do remember her have told Mary that Rachel was 'really, really talented' and was 'just dedicated to football.'

She added: "They just say she was a really quiet girl and she was just dedicated to football. She was just kicking a football constantly but really, really talented. They've said that you could see early on that she had something."

The club have re-named their cafe the 'Nomads Daly Brew' after Rachel, who attended the grand opening where she signed pictures and footballs for the juniors.

Mary added: "She did a little speech to all the players, just saying how much of her time she spent on Killinghall fields, just kicking a ball and practicing. She told them all to keep at it, because it could be them. It was great - she just gives us so much of our time."

Mary says since the Women's Euros success last year, the club has seen an 'unbelievable' amount of young girls who want to start playing the game.

She added: "The intake we've now seen at the club of girls wanting to play is absolutely unbelievable. Who knows what will come after the World Cup? When we would ask the girls what they wanted to be when they grew up, it always used to be something like a YouTuber or a hairdresser.

"Now so many of them want to be a lioness and they really believe they can do it and that's what the girls have done. They've just given them a different avenue to go down and they've given them the belief that they can actually do it and that's amazing."

Rachel previously said of her time at the club: "It became clear quite early on that I was better than a lot of the boys, so they'd be jealous and would tackle me even harder, but that just toughened me up. My time at Killinghall definitely shaped me as a player. It helped me realise what competition was all about and it helped make me as competitive as I am today.

"I think that's what your first club can do for you. If you enjoy your time there, it can help you form a lifelong love for the game."