Ellen White, the all-time highest goal scorer for the Lionesses, was barred from playing football when she was nine years old, but it didn’t stop her from going on to make history with England when they won the Euro 2022 trophy on Sunday.

In front of a record-breaking 87,192 spectators, White, 33, who has long been a pillar of women’s football, began up front against Germany. She wore the recognisable number nine on her back.

With a 2-1 victory hailed as one for the ages, the Lionesses won the nation’s first major tournament since the men’s victory in 1966.

But the striker from Aylesbury, who was more of a supporter in this competition, was once barred from playing in her neighbourhood league because she was a woman.

A 34-year-old front-page of the Bucks Herald from 1988 depicts a dejected-appearing White clinging onto a lying football while wearing an Arsenal Academy shirt.

“Soccer chick banned by league for boys,” reads the headline. Her father’s John White’s quote is also emphasised. “Ellen is just nine years old and can’t understand why she can’t play football,” he remarked.

However, White would only have a temporary setback. She would go on to become one of the most recognisable figures in women’s football, not just for her record-breaking goal total but also for her distinctive goggles celebration, which young fans all around the nation have copied.

The celebration, which White has previously admitted was inspired by her love of German football and was modelled by Anthony Modeste’s goggle celebration after witnessing him score a late winner for Cologne, was based on her love of German football.

She has 52 goals for the Lionesses and an excellent club background, having worn the jersey for Chelsea, Arsenal, and most recently Manchester City early in her career.

According to the rediscovered piece, White scored 100 goals the season before, despite claims of sex discrimination after the Chiltern Youth League rejected her application.

Her father, who was the club’s chairman at the time and knew that all his daughter wanted to do was play football, was leading the demonstration.

The Bucks Herald is informed by Mr. White that his daughter was really disturbed by the choice. Julie Oxley, the secretary for Aylesbury Town at the time, expressed similar concern and said the neighbourhood league “wasn’t adapting with the times.”

Chris Davidson, the chairman of the Chiltern Youth League, is quoted as noting that there were problems, such as mixed-gender changing rooms, but that there was no sex discrimination.

The club could appeal the ban to the Bedfordshire FA, he said at the time, according to the Bucks Herald. He declared, “Our league has made a decision, and we are standing by it.”

The historical piece was retweeted by football analyst Ollie Bayliss, who wrote: “I recall my junior team playing against Ellen White in 1997 or 1998.” She outscored us by roughly 8 goals and was by far the best player we’ve ever faced.

White scored two goals in the 8-0 rout of Norway in the tournament’s second game, leaving her one goal short of Wayne Rooney’s 53-goal record for England’s men.

She won a spot in the starting lineup over the talented Alessia Russo, who was replaced by the Manchester United forward after 56 minutes.

White’s achievement with the Lionesses complements her two Women’s Super League championships, two FA Cup victories, and her participation in Team GB’s quarterfinal victory at the London 2012 Olympics.

She would also participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, when the team experienced more misery in the quarterfinals despite White scoring twice.