Rachel Daly, Aston Villa's captain and a former England international with 84 caps, discusses her leadership role at the club as she enters her fifth season and 19th year in top-flight football. Now 34 and the oldest player in Villa's squad, she reflects on mentoring younger teammates and the contrast between her early career, when women players paid to play and wore men's kits, and the far more professional environment enjoyed by today's youngsters.

Daly joined Villa from Houston Dash in 2022 after starting every game of England's Euro 2022 win, having previously spent six years in the NWSL. She helped England reach the 2023 World Cup final before retiring from international duty in 2024, meaning she watched England's 2025 Euros triumph, including the penalty shootout, as a fan rather than a player. She describes valuing stability, having committed fully to Villa's development, and says she now treats club football as her sole focus.