'It was out of my control'
Steph Houghton MBE, 37, was captain of the England women’s team for eight years from 2014 to 2022
- Michael Potts
Winning Euro 2022 should have been Steph Houghton’s glorious swansong. Instead, she had to watch as her former teammates celebrated.
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The Lioness, who led her country to two World Cups and the Euros in 2017 with 121 caps and 14 years of service under her belt, tore her Achilles tendon in September 2021 and was replaced by Leah Williamson as England captain. And while she made the pre-tournament England training squad, she was cut on the eve of the Euros.
“It was hard not to be there, but at the same time, I’ve got mates that I’ve spent my whole career with — my best mates — winning something for England,” she recalls. “I know how hard they worked. When I watched that final and watched them lift the trophy it was super special, but it was bittersweet to a point. It was out of my control. Ultimately, it’s made me stronger as a person.”
Houghton grew up “hitting a ball against the wall” in the yard with her dad in Sunderland but adds, “There was still no real professional football. I couldn’t really play for a team and get paid. There wasn't really a pathway, especially in the North East.
You still couldn't play for a team and get paid – there was no pathway
“I lacked female role models. I grew up watching Kevin Phillips, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard because I got to see them every week on a Saturday or on Match of the Day. Later in my career, you’d notice the likes of Kelly Smith and Rachel Yankey.
“People have grown to accept that you can be a girl and play football — it is mad to have to say that.”
Houghton played for Sunderland, Leeds Carnegie, Arsenal and Manchester City on her way to the top, chiselling her name as a pioneering Women’s Super League icon. A tournament victory with England may have eluded her but Houghton has an MBE for her services to football and she remains proud of her time on the pitch.
“Some things can’t always have a fairy-tale ending. But I can look back on my England career and be very proud. I did captain my country, and I never dreamt I could ever go that far as a young girl.”
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Steph Houghton is a BBC pundit for Euro 2025
Authors
Michael PottsSport Editor
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
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