Ella Toone: 'Champions League has always been the goal for Man United'

Ella Toone has rapidly established herself as one of England’s most impressive young talents and is hoping to secure her spot on the roster for Euro 2022.

The Lionesses will host the tournament for the first time since 2005 and the Manchester United star is confident the team will make an impact.

But while winning the Euros on home soil would be an enormous achievement for England, Toone has stressed that inspiring and making the nation proud is just as important.

After joining a newly-formed Man United side in 2018, Toone has flourished from a rising starlet in the Championship, to a senior Lioness who won her first piece of silverware with her country earlier this year at the Arnold Clark Cup.

Toone spoke to GiveMeSport Women ahead of her visit to Bloomsbury Football Foundation, on behalf of her drinks partner Wow Hydrate. The sports drink have teamed up with the football club to provide bursary placements for young people so that they can play football. The donation has enabled 18 girls to get a placement at the grassroots football club. 

“I think I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t [hoping to make the Euros squad], those are the things you dream about and the things you want to achieve. 

“I just want to keep working hard and keep improving, keep playing consistently for club and doing everything I can for them to put me in the best position to be selected as part of the England team at the Euros.

“For us, it’s just about going there and enjoying ourselves and making each other and the nation proud. It’s all about growing the game as well and getting as many fans as we can into stadiums.”

Since Sarina Wiegman took on the role as Lionesses manager in September 2021, she has integrated younger players into the senior team