Women’s soccer now a leading global sport: Rafferty

LONDON: Women’s football has cemented its place as a leading global sport, former England international full-back Claire Rafferty told AFP.

The 30-year-old -- a member of the England side that heartbreakingly lost to Japan through a stoppage-time own goal in the 2015 World Cup semi-finals -- is proud that "the struggle" she and her contemporaries went through has laid the foundation for the present generation to benefit.

Rafferty’s story reflects this, having come back from three cruciate ligament injuries, juggled a job at an investment banking company with making it to training on time, and turned down a professional contract offer of just £16,000 ($21,000) a year.

She used to travel to play for Chelsea while studying economics at Loughborough University, using some of her student loan to subsidise petrol costs as the club paid just £50 a month towards expenses.

But for the engaging former Chelsea star -- who is now at West Ham -- it has been worth it. "It has gone past the point of no return," she said at a meeting of The Sport Industry NextGen programme, designed to better equip emerging talent for leadership roles within sport. "Success (for the national team) does help exposure but even if you fail it is on every single day (the BBC is showing every game at the World Cup), so people can judge for themselves and that is all we can ask for."

Rafferty, who originally wanted to become a doctor after "hanging out" in the office of her mother, a hospital matron, says she is satisfied with her legacy. "I’ve helped the next generation, I have done my bit to take the game to where it is and I am very proud of that," she said.