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One of its stars once branded it ‘a joke’. Now England head for the Women’s World Cup as one of the tournament favourites Rachel Yankey, midfielder Rachel Yankey is arguably the most recognisable face in women’s football in the UK. She was the first registered professional female footballer in England, was awarded an MBE in 2006 and, at 31, is the most capped player in the England squad – 109 caps and counting. What’s it like being the poster girl for women’s football? “It feels like the norm,” she laughs. “People have been making comments about me since I was a kid. At the time there were maybe one or two other black players and I was quick and an attacking player. I’m used to it now. I think when I finish playing, I’ll sit back and look at it all and recognise all that I’ve achieved.” It’s not too shabby for a girl who adored former Arsenal and England player Ian Wright and started playing football in the park with her older brother and “the boys across the road”. She marvels at how much the game has grown. “More girls are playing; we have centres of excellence where you can access great coaching. When I was a kid you went straight into playing women’s football – I played in the seniors before I played in the U-18 team.” She’s especially excited by what this grassroots improvement will produce. “I