Why women's football in England is a whole new ball game

one of their stars when the mark is a joke. "Now the head of the World Cup in England of women as one of the favorites of the tournament

Rachel Yankey, midfielder

Rachel Yankey is probably the most recognizable face in women's football in the UK. She was the first soccer player has recorded career in England, received an MBE in 2006 and, in 31 years, is the most capped player in the England team - 109 caps and counting. How does it feel to be the poster girl for women's football? "It feels like the norm," he laughs. "People have commented on me since I was a child. When not perhaps one or two other black players and was quick and a striker. I'm used to now. I think when finished playing, I will sit down and look around and recognize what I have done. "

Not bad for a girl who loves Arsenal and former England player Ian Wright and began playing football in the park with his older brother and "the boys on the road." She marvels at how the game has increased. "The number of girls playing, we have centers of excellence where you can access great coaching when I was a kid who went directly to play football for women - who have played in the last year before the team played U-18 .. "She is particularly pleased that this basis for improving will happen." I think the next group of players coming through five, 10 years have the best chance for the game of women is amazing. Now they are getting what you guys have had for many years, and I hope you enjoy and make the women's game is even better. "

coaching is what dominates Yankey time when not on the court. After the dissolution of the club, then, Fulham LFC in 2004, launched a company offering physical education sessions and after school clubs in primary schools in Brent, northwest London. She also co-leads a team of youth in the community, gibbons help. "The machine name of the child is very good, good '

that the game becomes more popular, to the pressure and expectations of young players. Yankey advice is that girls just enjoy. "There must be balance - we have to make sure it's fun and people play because they love it." As in the film Bend It Like Beckham? "I was in that!" He said. "We are the black team in the game - the bad actors," he laughs

rejoices in time the air finally gets his game, but says "could be even greater." What she hates comparisons are lazy. "You can not judge the game of men - they are decades ahead of us in this area, but there is nothing to suggest that there will eventually go in the direction of the game men sponsorship .. "

Eni Aluko, before

How many professional footballers have a law degree from first class? An Internet search suggests that only a preliminary - Eniola Aluko England. How does this work then? "They are my passions," she replies. "I put on this earth to play football and as long as I can remember I always wanted to be a lawyer."

Aluko, 24, a star is appropriate. He was named Young Player of the Year Awards FA women in 2003 and took top scorer Marcus Bignot prolific former manager of Birmingham City Ladies, to call it "the wife of football Wayne Rooney." Since his debut with the absolute age of 17, came to mark 11 goals and winning 55 games. It is disappointing to play so young? "It was hard, very stressful," he admits. "But you know, I was there because I deserved it and I played well once you play well, just keep doing what you do -. . I do not think much about it "

football was, he says, a form of expression for her and her younger brother, Sone, who plays for Aberdeen FC and Nigeria. "Football has always been in my family in many ways - my father played and played and seen many things." However, she wishes she had had female role models to look for a young man. "I do not really have any woman he could point to and say,". I want to be like "It was something I knew I wanted to do."

Aluko cut their teeth in Birmingham, Chelsea and Charlton Athletic before moving to the United States in recent seasons. Now playing at FC Blue Sky in New Jersey, in a league that it considers the best in the world. "Week after week, I questioned," he said. "This is probably one of the best decisions of my football career I did. It really brought my game to another level. " The relative invisibility of the game in the UK that is bothering you, and believes that media exposure is key, something we could learn from the Germans. "You can tell by the way Germany has dealt with this World Cup who have done their best and really put it in front of the public, and now 80,000 people come with the opening match. I think that's how to do - spend the money game is not enough women on TV "

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But back to the law degree, what are your plans? "Finally I want to build a sports and entertainment law to become a little room for me in terms of being one of the first female lawyers who also played the sport. I think there is something very curious about it. "

Faye White, Defender

Faye White looks like a leader. Not surprising, really - the defender was captain of six feet for years, both clubs (Arsenal Ladies with the all-conquering) and internationally for England. White, 33, is a professional - not just because it has a £ 16,000 a year contract with the Football Association. "That means we get paid to have more time for training and the rest, it is also important. Instead of working eight hours a day, trying to fit in their training before and after the formation of the club, and then wonder why they are still injured or hurt, or why you do not play your best "White is recovering from a knee injury -. who knows what he is talking about

She grew up playing football with his father, the coach of his brother. It was intimidating. "Football is for children then. But I thought," I'm good at it, why can not I play? "Finally, the fact that I played with the children, probably improved my ability ". She says she can detect the girls who were in mixed teams - their attitude is different. "They seem to want more because they have had to prove. The desire to appear stronger. "But she is pleased that the loneliness she felt as the player is almost a thing of the past tomboy." Today the message is that if you are sporty, you do not need being a tomboy - I think it's a big difference for girls, we try to encourage girls to be athletic and competitive without being seen as a boy. or is not attractive. It's great that girls can play and feel it is their sport. "

Like many in the game, White made his debut with the senior team at the age of 15. "I said yes, as soon as my coaches asked the office, which was very different -.. In the locker room, the women would talk about their husbands'

not even know there was a women's team in England until he was called, aged 17. "Until then, my models were just women in other sports -. Sally Gunnell, Denise Lewis and Steffi Graf have admired the way they trained and looked and looked to be on top of their sport. "

for women's football to really take off, White believes he needs money and exposure. "If it is a requirement that all men of the football club to have had a team of women, the money would be filtered into the women's game and there would be more opportunities." He continues: "It is natural that people compare us to the games of men, but it's like watching the 100 meter sprint with men and women - you'll see the same kind of thing, but with differences is that making a salable product .. . '

Hope Powell, Director

Hope Powell is tired of these questions. I asked if there is something that players could teach men how the players of their business, but soon stopped me cold. "We will not make a gender issue. Let's talk football, not a single man or woman," said Powell. "This is football. We focus on football. That's all. "

There is much to say about football, too. The England team might be the best coach of Powell - and is in operation since 1998. "We probably had more profound than I ever," he explains. Help, he added that many players have become semi-pro. "We have 20 players on central contracts. Not a lot of money, but allows them to leave so they can train. This was unthinkable in my day. "

Powell was not an easy path to the top. As a child growing up in south London, had to convince his brothers that even his reluctance to play street football. 12 years after being banned from playing in a mixed team, was discovered by the hand of a woman - but her mother did not want to join. "At the time, it was almost taboo," says Powell, now 44. "It was hard because of my Caribbean culture My mother said she did not understand ... You will not be back "But I went anyway."

Even when playing for England, life was more difficult than it is for current players. "When you play for England now, the FA took the bill," said Powell, who won 66 caps as a midfielder. "It was a little tougher in my day. Most of these players offers to start. When I played for England, we had to buy our own. We had to take our training team. "

• said Powell still feels his players are against it. "In terms of what girls have to do to reach that level, it is very difficult. They do not have millions of pounds to live the high life. They have to work very, very hard. Most of the girls to do something else to supplement their income. "

matches all of England's World Cup will be broadcast by the BBC, but Powell believes the women's game needs more media coverage if it is to grow faster. "It is very sporadic, it is only once in the big tournaments, and then when it's over, everyone goes." Increased media profile is the key to progress in the game, she said. "It's raising the profile, you get more girls to play. Then expand locally, you get a broader base, increase the standard of play, the international team to improve." This is an issue again that we parted. "See you after the tournament," said Powell - and she means.

Sophie Bradley, defenseman

is a world of fun. Women's England defender John Terry earns £ 150,000 a week, and led a Bentley. The central Sophie Bradley, one of their female counterparts, Britain has a contract for £ 16,000 a year and works part time in a nursing home by his father in Nottingham. "In the women's game, which is in it because you love the sport," says 22 year old Bradley, a newcomer from England. "They are not paid what men are paid. We like to play, and sometimes gets the best of you. "