Lauren Hemp has been one of the Lionesses' standout performers at the EUROs so far and off the pitch the youngster has shown that she is a more than just a football specialist.
Hemp, 21, opened her account in the historic 8-0 victory against Norway a week ago and will have a key role to play in Wednesday's quarter-final against Spain.
After her performance against the Scandinavians, she was again in action in Friday night’s 5-0 victory over Northern Ireland, a result that saw England record the best ever goal difference in a EUROs group stage, scoring 14 and conceding none.
All eyes are on their meeting with Spain but the 21-year-old has shared just how she and the squad are spending down time between matches - with the Norfolk star fancying herself as a dab hand at table tennis.
She said: “For the players that didn’t play on Friday they had a gym session on Saturday. It’s important to get some minutes in the legs and for the players that did play, we had a bit of recovery and a bit of downtime.
“It’s important for us to stay on our feet and go for a walk, things like that. Obviously with the weather being so nice it’s important to get out. It’s nice to have a bit of rest, refresh and get ready for the next game.
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“If I’m not in the sun, I’m definitely in the relaxation room. I’ve been playing a lot of table tennis - I’d like to put myself up there as one of the best players but there’s a lot of competition!
“I enjoy playing darts as well, I play that a lot at home so it’s sort of a home away from home. It’s really nice just to go in there, chill out and watch some TV as well.”
The Lionesses could not have asked for a better campaign so far and Hemp believes the side are full of confidence heading into the knockout stages.
And there is no doubt that her strike against Norway - which made it 2-0 on the night - has been her highlight of the campaign to date.
She added: “I think we’ll take a lot of confidence going into the quarter-final off the back of scoring so many goals and keeping a clean sheet.
“One of the things that has stood out for me this tournament is scoring my first goal at the EUROs. Even though it was just a tap in, they all mean the same thing.
“I was buzzing to score but with every goal in general, it’s great to celebrate with all the fans and the players as well. I think we’re taking in a lot of confidence and we’re in a great place as a team.”
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