‘Not just TikToks’ - Alisha Lehmann hits back at critics and explains decision to swap Como for Leicester

Lehmann has a vast online following with 16 million Instagram followers and 11.8m on TikTok. Her online presence has led to criticism from some quarters, and Lehmann has now hit back.

"Sometimes, it's frustrating. People don't see the work that I put in," she told BBC Sport. "They think I just train and then go home to make TikToks - it's not true. I'm very professional. I always give everything on the pitch and I want to be the best. If I've not done my best when I check my data after training, I will do extra rounds to try to improve. People can think what they want but everything I do is focused on being the best player I can be."

The Leicester star admitted that the noise almost drove her away from the game entirely earlier in her career. "When I was younger, it affected me more because I didn't know how to handle the situation," she confessed. "There were moments where I was really sad and I used to ask my mum if I could not play football anymore. Football is the thing I love the most and it's what I have put the most time into. I rest so well, I sleep every afternoon and I would never do anything before training or a game that would affect how I play. I care so much about it. People don't know how much effort I actually put in when they say 'Oh, she's not a footballer'. But now, I'm fine. I love my life and the people around me and I don't get affected by it."

Regarding her brief spell in Italy, the attacker was candid about why she swapped the Mediterranean for the East Midlands. "I signed a long-term deal in Como but after a month I realised I didn't like it and wanted to return to England," she explained. Having previously spent six years representing West Ham, Everton, and Aston Villa, the Women's Super League clearly held a special appeal. "I love it here, the football is better and England feels like home to me," she noted, confirming her desire to bring her experience of over 100 top-flight matches back to the division.

Facing a tough relegation battle with just five games left, her focus is entirely on keeping her team in the top tier. "The situation we're in now isn't the best," she acknowledged. "We're all doing everything we can to be the best version of ourselves and stay in the WSL." Her manager, Rick Passmoor, completely backs up her self-assessment, praising her relentless attitude and the positive impact she has made since arriving in January. "She is incredible," he stated. "She's exactly what you want - a leader, a professional. She works harder than anyone else in the building. She wants us to be successful and she wants to win football matches."