The 5ft 11 Santa Monica born keeper fills close season breaks in her US pro career by serving as an assistant coach at the University of San Diego. Majored in Graphic Design at California State University.
Photograph: Ian Walton - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
A Burnley fan and qualified PE teacher Brown began playing in boys’ teams and, suitably toughened up, earned her living keeping goal in the United States for a time before serious knee injury intervened. After spending two years out of the game she was among the first England players to earn a £16,000 central FA contract in May 2009. Boasts more than 70 caps and kept five clean sheets during seven qualifiers for Germany 2011 Photograph: Roni Lehti/AFP/Getty Images
Back at Bristol Academy after stints with Vancouver Whitecaps and Chelsea, the London born keeper was part of Hope Powell’s England squad which reached the quarter finals in China in 2007. Rates Germany’s Birgit Prinz as her toughest opponent so far. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images
An Arsenal fan as a girl, Scott later played for Arsenal Ladies as well as Birmingham before heading for the US and a professional career. An experienced, often brilliant, overlapping right back she is adept at helping build play from the back. Photograph: Ian Walton - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Mature, versatile and blessed with outstanding leadership qualities, Stoney - who has also played for Arsenal and Charlton - was briefly Chelsea’s player-manager during 2009. Happiest deployed at left back she reads games exceptionally well. A strong tackler and stellar passer Stoney first kicked a ball as an 11-year-old. Photograph: Action Images
The Walsall born left back’s football career has carried her to Everton via Wolves Women, New Jersey Wildcats, Fulham and a stint in Sweden spent training with Malmo. Blessed with a powerful left foot she holds more than 80 caps and has twice been voted England’s ‘Player of the Year.’ Photograph: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
Works part time in a care home run by her father in Nottingham. Joined Lincoln Ladies after the springtime creation of the Women’s Super League. An excellent tennis player as a child she switched to football after thriving in a boy’s team. Her personal mantra is “Keep your hopes high, your feet on the floor and job’s a good ‘un.” Best known as a centre half she can also operate at left back. Dependable could be her middle name. Photograph: Christopher Lee - The FA/The FA Collection
Raffery was playing regular first team football for the Millwall Lionesses at just 14 but it took her until 2010 to break into Powell’s senior squad when she made her debut against Austria. An energetic and tough tackling left sided presence. Photograph: Christopher Lee - The FA/The FA Collection
A BA politics and English graduate from Brunel University, Asanate is of Ghanaian descent and previously played for Arsenal and Chelsea. Happiest at centre half, she is calm and assured in the tightest situations and is known as a ‘big occasion’ player. Has gained invaluable pro US experience with Chicago Red Stars, Saint Louis Athletics and now Washington Freedom. Photograph: Mike Hewitt - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
The 6ft Arsenal Ladies centre half and qualified sports massage therapist is a full time professional awarded the MBE for her services to football. Has overcome a serious knee injury to lead England in Germany and her return to fitness has coincided with an upsurge in optimism surrounding the chances of Hope Powell’s team. Photograph: Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
A solid, reliable defender exuding quiet authority, Bassett plays centre-half for Birmingham but is frequently deployed in midfield by England. Previously turned out for, among other sides, Arsenal and, during a stint in the United States, New York Magic. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Archive/Press Association Ima
A business and economic graduate from the University of Westminster, Susi captained her schoolboy team. Best known as a right back these days she scored 96 goals in a single season as a teenage Enfield Ladies striker. Played for Arsenal, Fulham and Chelsea as well as US side Richmond Kickers Destiny before joining Birmingham. Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos - The FA/The FA Collection
The verstaile Durham born Houghton missed the 2007 World Cup with a broken leg and Euro 2009 with torn cruciate ligament. “It was heartbreaking,” she says. “I’m just really thankful I’m here now. It means so much more." Formerly with Leeds and Sunderland she has been playing football since the age of four. Photograph: Jan Kruger - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
A physical yet elegant midfielder the Sunderland born and bred Scott was a fine cross country runner as a teenager. Eventually she choose football over running, beginning her career with Sunderland before crossing the Pennines. Has sports science qualifications from Sunderland and Loughborough Universities. Rarely found wanting for stamina. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Archive/Press Association Ima
A pacey winger, Clarke is England’s ‘Wizard of the dribble’. The West Yorkshire born Leeds Metropolitan University graduate made her England senior debut in 2009 and played in seven World Cup qualifiers, scoring four goals. Hope Powell likes to utilise her acceleration and energy to tire full backs. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/The FA via Getty Images
Employed by the FA as a part time skills coach, Williams is England’s set piece specialist. A complete midfielder with an explosive shot she made Chelsea’s first team at 17 - the same year as her senior England debut. Powell’s top scorer during the World Cup qualifiying campaign with seven goals. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images
An MBE, the pacey Yankey is of Ghanaian descent. The most capped player in the England squad - she boasts 109 - grew up idolising Ian Wright and playing football with boys in her local park. Very much the poster girl of the domestic game she previously set up a business delivering PE sessions to primary schools in north west London and currently co-runs a community youth team, the Gibbons Wreckers. Photograph: Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Aluko’s parents moved to Birmingham when she was one. Regarded as the “Wayne Rooney of women’s football” she holds a first class honours degree in Law from Brunel University. “I eventually want to build up a sports entertainment law practice and carve a bit of a niche for myself in terms of being one of the first female lawyers who also played the sport,” she said. Her younger brother, Sone, also plays professionally, for Aberdeen and Nigeria. Photograph: Matt Lewis - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Pacey, tricky and with an eye for goal, Carney began her career with Birmingham making her senior debut at just 14. Experienced trans-Atlantic life with Chicago Red Stars and also had a spell at Arsenal before returning to her native west midlands. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/The FA via Getty Images
A tall strong forward who has scored five goals in 14 senior England appearances. Was top scorer three seasons running with Chelsea and has also played for Leeds. Overcame a career threatening cruciate ligament injury to regain her England place. Photograph: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
Became Britain’s first professional female footballer when she signed for US side New Jersey in 1999. Has overcome injuries, alcoholism and depression to become one of the best players in the world, scoring 43 goals in 104 England games. At 32 and now playing for Boston Breakers, this will probably be her final World Cup. Could be a star of the tournament. Photograph: Mike Hewitt - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
