'I played for England at the Euros while homeless - here's what saved me'

Fara Williams believes that representing England "saved her life" during a seven-year period of homelessness while competing in various major international tournaments. The former Lioness, who has become a popular pundit working for the BBC and Sky Sports, launched her footballing journey at just 16 years old with current WSL champions Chelsea. The midfielder went on to feature for clubs including Everton, Liverpool, and Arsenal, earning her England debut at 17 in 2001. Yet behind the scenes, Williams was battling a personal crisis. She found herself without a home while representing her nation.

Speaking ahead of the Women's Euro final between England and Spain, the 41-year-old revealed the challenges she confronted as a youngster, juggling employment, sport, and lacking secure accommodation. Williams told The Mirror: "Yeah, it was extremely difficult. As a kid, I think you mentioned it there, if you think back to when we first entered into grassroots football at a very young age, there were so many barriers.

"There were so many barriers that were different to today in terms of access, in terms of there not being enough teams out there for young females to go and play. Of course that's changed over time. The biggest barrier, in terms of my journey, was becoming homeless whilst playing and having that to overcome - it was difficult.

"I think football, I've always said, saved me in terms of the kind of direction I could have went in. It was a real strong tool for me to kind of focus on and, you know, put all my energy into that and all kind of the other stuff that was going on, I always remembered that football was there, the football community was there. So I did always have that."

The ex-footballer established herself as England's set-piece expert, finding the net 40 times while representing her country. Across 246 career domestic appearances, Williams scored 106 goals and claimed numerous major honours - including the WSL title, the Premier League Cup and Women's Cup.

On the international stage, the midfielder finished as runner-up at the UEFA Women's Championship - now called the Euros - in 2009 and also secured third place at the 2015 World Cup. Despite holding the record as England's most-capped player, Williams remains all too aware of the barriers facing young women attempting to break into elite football.

Reflecting on her teenage hardships, Williams said: "Financially it was always difficult growing up, trying to manage jobs and play and find facilities. But that's where being a JustEats ambassador for the tournament [comes in] and it is partners like them that are pumping money back into the game.

"The Feed the Game campaign, for me, is one of the reasons why I'm so excited to work with them, because obviously we talk grassroots, we've seen how expensive the game is now.

"I spoke about there not being enough teams when I played and now there's a lot of teams, but in terms of equipment, in terms of coaching, in terms of it being free. I know a lot of football now you have to pay for which is another barrier for some underprivileged families."

Williams believes the transformation is happening, slowly but surely, and credits this shift to the efforts the current Lionesses squad has invested in developing the sport through their achievements. She added: "So it's difficult, and the fact that these companies are pumping money into grassroots, not just for young females, but for young women as well at grassroots level, that have been inspired by the Lionesses.

"So I think if I had that, obviously back when I played, it would have made my journey a little bit easier. In terms of equipment, you know, kit is so expensive, shin pads, boots etc. So there's definitely a lot to do around that area, still now, but there's a lot more that's being done. But the games in a really good place, but a place where, without that investment, opportunities will be few and far between."

One individual whom Williams credits as a significant part of her footballing career is her former England manager, Hope Powell. Brighton's current women's technical director led the national team from 1998 until 2013, becoming a pivotal figure in her life as she balanced her sporting ambitions with the demands of her personal circumstances.

Williams said: "Hope carried a lot of power and had a huge impact on me - not just football, but personal life as well. In terms of that support network, in terms of it going the way it needed to, it kind of put things into perspective for me.

"People talk, you know, my teammates used to say that like I was the leader of the game, and I want to do it day in, day out. But she was the one who forced me to grow outside of that natural atmosphere at camp.

"I've always been really appreciative of Hope, and she knows that. She was a big standout supporter of me. She guided me and my coaching career, and said it would be a great skill for me.

"She always played a part, she mentored me with that [coaching], and she's not just [a former coach], now she and I are retired, we are great friends."

These days, Williams dedicates more time to championing the sport that rescued her during her youth, though she confesses the ongoing Euro 2025 campaign for England has proved an "emotional rollercoaster" for supporters.

When asked for her thoughts regarding the Euros final, the former Lioness added: "I can't even give a score prediction because, as I said, I reckon that this England team will put me back on that emotional roller coaster - you know, the frustration, joy, whatever you want to say - because yeah, it's been a tough watch but an enjoyable outcome."

Building on their long-term support for women's football, and to celebrate the Women's Euros, Just Eat is providing training equipment to 100 women's and girls grassroots teams via the Feed the Game Fund so they can continue to play the sport they love. Teams can apply for training equipment at justeat-101.co.uk