Rachel Daly looks set for an emotional return to Elland Road the evening, when the lifelong Leeds United fan makes her 50th England cap against the Netherlands. The Harrogate-born forward grew up with a family of die-hard Whites fans, spending many a weekend watching her side before joining the club’s women’s side.
The 30-year-old currently plays in the United States for Houston Dash, where she has scored 33 goals in 96 NWSL appearances, and has represented England women throughout the youth ranks and then the senior side since 2016.
And after 49 caps for the Lionesses, she looks set to step foot on the Elland Road turf for the first time as a player in an emotional return to her beloved club.
“It’s a club that has held such a special place in my heart and my family’s heart and I’ve got so many memories of being at Leeds,” said Daly, in an interview with the official matchday programme (via the England football site ). “It’ll be really exciting to go back as I was there my whole youth career - I started there when I was about eight years old, right through until the senior level.
“I was at a local team in Harrogate and you get to that level when you go to a proper organisation and a good club. I don’t think I’d be anywhere near the player I am today if I didn’t have that youth experience. I’ve actually never played there, which is crazy because I’ve played in so many different grounds with England, but never Elland Road.
“I’ve been a lifelong, diehard supporter of Leeds...my whole family has. As far as I can remember, I’ve been going there since I was a kid. It’s such a great environment being there as a fan, so being able to play will be even better for me.”
Friday night’s occasion will be incredibly emotional for Daly, who lost her father Martyn last year. He was a massive Whites fan and left an indelible mark on his daughter’s incredible career.
“He was the biggest Leeds fan I’ve ever met in my life,” she added. "It will be so awful to not have him there because I think it would have been one of his proudest moments. I have a different perspective towards football and life now. Football has always been the be-all-and-end-all for me, and it still is, but now I play for a different purpose as well.
“When I get on the pitch, it’s not just about me performing, it’s me performing to make my dad even more proud than he already was. I think I carry that weight with me, but it’s a nice weight to have because it’s every game I want to do better and better. I know I’m making him proud up there.
“But in a way, that’s what will make it even more special, having the rest of my family there knowing how big fans we are.”
England host the Netherlands at Elland Road this evening, with kick-off at 8pm. Tonight’s clash is their penultimate game before the 2022 European Championships, where Sarina Wiegman’s side face Austria, Northern Ireland and Norway.
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