The Girl with the World at Her Feet (Sue Smith)

An interview with the winger who, on Valentine’s Day 1999, lined up in San Jose for the first FIFA Women’s World Stars match, America against the Rest of the World, wearing a blue number 18 shirt beside Linda Medalen, Bettina Wiegmann and Homare Sawa and facing Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy and Mia Hamm. A fortnight earlier the 19-year-old had played for Tranmere Rovers before about ten people on a bobbly pitch. She calls it probably her greatest football achievement, and describes learning how the Americans handled media. That year she was named both Players’ Player and International Player at the FA’s first women’s awards. She recalls a hat-trick against Spain at Luton while her father was in intensive care, and turning down Fulham and Arsenal out of loyalty.