'Now they're hooked' - Lionesses and Man Utd star Ella Toone reveals the major reason why 'people love the women’s game'

Toone is one of the most popular faces in English football who captured the hearts of the nation with the Lionesses' historic triumph in the European Championships in 2022. She was also an instrumental part of the squad that reached the World Cup final before bowing out to Spain in the title decider.

Apart from the on-field success, Toone believes that, unlike their male counterparts, female players exhibit remarkable resilience by swiftly bouncing back from fouls without much fuss which is a major attraction for fans. This attitude resonates with supporters and contributes to the growing popularity of women's football.

In an interview with the No Passion, No Point podcast, Toone said: "I know a lot of fans or family friends or whoever have started watching the women’s game say, ‘I just love it so much more, you get fouled and you get straight back up.' And I think: ‘yeah, that’s what it’s about, just get on with the game.' If you get fouled, you get up, pull your socks up and you go again.

"I think that’s just why people love the women’s game, and yeah, they might not have ever wanted to watch it, they’ve watched one game, and now they’re hooked and they’re fans. For me, definitely, when I put that shirt on, I give 100%.”

Toone feels immense pride and passion donning the England shirt and also spoke about her childhood dreams associated with representing the national team.

“Whenever you put the England shirt on it’s so much pride, it’s something that you’ve dreamed of ever since you’ve been a little girl.," she said.

"And I know that for everyone who wears that England shirt, it’s just immense pride and passion when you step out onto the pitch."

Women's football continues to attract a growing audience, with last year's World Cup achieving record viewership, highlighting its global appeal. Across the Atlantic, the buzz is growing more than ever with the USWNT making history on Sunday as broadcaster CBS Sports announced record streaming figures for their Gold Cup final victory over Brazil.