art_of_football Every now and then a player comes along who changes the face of the game. Wherever they go, trophies soon follow. No matter the club, fans embrace them like their own. They define eras of football, cementing a legacy that goes untouched. It’s a unique phenomenon, reserved only for the best. So, it’s no wonder that Rachel Yankey sits among them.

Yankey became England’s first registered professional female footballer signing for Fulham in 2000 but, a move back to the Gunners would ensure the creation of her legacy. In the 11 years at Arsenal, she was part of a team that won, get ready for it, five Premier League titles, seven FA Women’s Cups, two Premier League Cups and an all-elusive UEFA Women’s Cup. Club football? She pretty much completed it.

Internationally, Yankey was one of the most capped England players ever to wear a shirt, overtaking Peter Shilton’s record of 125 appearances. She was the face of kit releases, the poster girl for the FA. Her name was known by all fans of football and is still celebrated for the impact that she had. Rachel Yankey is a true pioneer of the women’s game and, how lucky are we to call her one of our own.