From Harrogate schoolgirl to World Cup final, former teacher knew Rachel Daly was a ‘one-off’ player

Sarina Wiegman’s side reached their first ever World Cup final with a 3-1 win against co-hosts Australia on Wednesday in front of 75,784 in Sydney.

Harrogate’s forward Daly, the WSL’s top scorer with Aston Villa last season, has played a key part in their campaign – often featuring at wing-back for the side and scored in England’s 6-1 victory against China in the group stages.

The 31-year-old started her career at Killinghall Nomads in Yorkshire and Michael Sweetman, who was her teacher at Rossett School, Harrogate, admitted her mental and physical attributes stood out from an early age.

Mr Sweetman said: “She was a one-off, she was completely different and the attributes she had, those winning attributes, it’s just pure focus on winning the game.

“It can in some ways not be great, but on a football pitch it’s ideal, it’s perfect. She’s been a success at every team she’s played in and that’s why I think, but she had the physical attributes as well.

“She wasn’t amazingly quick or amazingly fit, but she just played the game. Her touch was amazing, she was strong and nothing fazed her.

“She could take a boot, get up and get on with it.

“She’s skilful, she’d play up front or in midfield for me and she scored two or three a game.”

England are aiming to achieve back-to-back success in a major tournament final after their European Championship win at Wembley last year.

Daly was part of that Lionesses squad and Mr Sweetman reflected on how far she has come in her England career.

“I definitely believed she’d play for England, whether I believed she’d get to a World Cup final I don’t think you could ever comprehend that really,” he added.

“You just want your kids to achieve the best they can be, so to get to England is great.

“I actually rang the FA when she was 14 and asked them to come down and watch her.

“They came down to a final at Harrogate Town and we beat a school in York 5-0 I think, she scored twoand that was the start of it,” he added.

Beginning her domestic career with Leeds United, Daly moved over to America to play in college for St John’s University and was selected by the Houston Dash in the 2016 NWSL draft.

She spent six seasons in Texas before moving to the Women’s Super League last year to play for Aston Villa, where she instantly made a mark in her debut season by finishing with 22 goals.

Those performances earned Daly the Barclays WSL’s Player of the Season award and on Wednesday she was nominated for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.

Mr Sweetman added: “I don’t want to say I feel responsible, because I’m not, I was a small part for five years and basically I just let her play.

“The only thing I did differently was that football was just developing at the time.

“They were trying to say that there may be careers ahead and if you can keep playing, keep improving on your game maybe you could go to America or you could do this or you could do that.

“I never say I was responsible but the only thing I did let her do was let her play football with the boys in PE.

“You don’t feel responsible, but there is a sense of pride that one of your kids that you did your best to nurture during those years is playing at the highest level.”