Toni Duggan has spoken about how her Scouse spirit helped her overcome the embarrassment and stigma she faced as a young girl playing football. The 35-year-old former Everton and Barcelona forward is preparing to take part in the Game4Hope charity match at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on September 26.
Speaking exclusively to the ECHO, Duggan recalled the difficulties she faced growing up in Liverpool when it was unusual for a girl to be interested in football. She joined Custy's under-8s in the Scotland Road league and could hold her own with the boys, but remembers the stigma around who can play football made it hard to pursue the game she loved as she got older.
Facing Stereotypes
Duggan said: "There were times when it was horrible. I used to hide that I was in my football kit. I'd run in my house if I was in my football kit in case the lads saw me." She added: "They were all my mates but when you get to 14/15 you become a bit more feminine and want to wear girly clothes, I was so embarrassed that I still played. You're getting name-called like a manhead and a tomboy. When you're just a little girl from Liverpool and you don't know anyone else who plays girls football, it's hard because you think you're on your own."
Despite those challenges, Duggan went on to have an incredible career, becoming an Everton legend and playing for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. She has continued to push boundaries since retirement, taking part in legends matches and now preparing for the Game4Hope, where she will be part of an England side facing a Rest of the World XI that includes Clarence Seedorf and Cafu.
Charity Match for Homelessness
The match is not just about representation, as the money raised will go to Everton in the Community and homelessness charity Shelter. Duggan, who grew up in Everton, said uniting in the face of adversity is emblematic of the Merseyside spirit of togetherness. She said: "It's upsetting when you're walking around the city and you're seeing the amount of people that are homeless. Some of them I went to school with and maybe their lives have taken a different path. You just wouldn't believe it. It could happen to anyone. It doesn't matter your background."
She added: "But Liverpool is an incredible city and I know that everyone will come together for this cause because we support our own. And I know that they'll be doing this on September 26. We're quite honest people. We get behind each other. Support each other. Everywhere in the world you go, you see a Scouser. We seem to get everywhere and I don't know how. You can spot them a mile away. We have that loving nature. It doesn't matter your background or where you're from."
Proud Moments and Legacy
Duggan reached the very top of the women's game, winning many titles in England and abroad. She recalled wearing false eyelashes in Manchester City's 2016 FA Cup triumph, joking: "That's what made me get the assist. Even when I was playing for Everton, and I was young, I would wear false eyelashes but none of the girls would wear false eyelashes. So all the girls were skitting me. I was like, 'I'm on the telly, what do you want me to do?'"
Since retirement, she said she has discovered men's footballers are even more mindful of their appearance, laughing: "I asked for makeup for Soccer Aid and [the makeup team] said the lads wanted it more." Duggan is most proud of the way she has played a part in making the world more inclusive for her daughter, Luella, who was born three years ago. She said: "I look it as that I'm setting opportunities for my daughter. She's been at the Soccer Aid games, watched me play for Everton at Anfield. Coming back after having the baby and still be able to get out there with the boots on is a really proud moment for me."
Duggan will be joined by other pioneering women sporting figures such as Tasha Dowie and boxer Molly McCann, as well as Merseyside football legends Leighton Baines and Robbie Fowler in the England XI. She has lost none of her competitive spirit and hopes to bag a goal like she did in last year's Soccer Aid. But she joked: "I'll be staying away from Jaap Stam. I don't fancy that. I played against Vidic in Soccer Aid and I just went the opposite side of the pitch."
The Game4Hope charity match takes place at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on September 26 to raise money for homelessness. Tickets are available on Everton's official ticketing website.
