It wasn’t along ago Olivia Clark was playing semi-professional football.
Only seven years ago, to be exact.
Clark has endured a rollercoaster journey to reach where she is todayGettyAs a fresh-faced teenager, Clark was on the books of Boston United, who competed in the Lincolnshire Women and Girls League.
But there was a stark contrast in her professionalism and that of her teammates.
“Everyone would turn up on the Sunday hungover,” Clark told talkSPORT.
“I was just trying to make my way in life.”
As Clark navigated her way up the English women’s football pyramid, she had to work jobs outside of the game just to make ends meet.
Perhaps the 23-year-old still has her McDonald’s and Co-op uniforms in her home to serve as a reminder of how far she has come.
She has taken the most brutal of blows inside the world of football too.
In December 2021, Clark and her teammates were made redundant when Women’s Championship club Coventry United entered voluntary liquidation.
“I’ve had so many of those moments,” Clark said.
“But I’ve had no option but to keep going.
GettyClark (far right) has swapped McDonald’s for matchdays in the top tier of English women’s football[/caption]“I think it’s actually made me a better player and a better person for it.”
Having faced all of those challenges before the age of 23, it would have been understandable if Clark thought football may not have been for her.
But she has persevered amid the many trials and tribulations to stand on the brink of making football history.
Clark has been named in Wales’ Euro 2025 team, in what will be the nation’s first appearance at a major women’s tournament.
The 23-year-old, who is a goalkeeper at Women’s Super League (WSL) side Leicester City, stands a strong chance of featuring given she is the most experienced of the goalkeeping trio who were called up, with 30 international caps to her name.
However, Clark is going to have her work cut and then some.
The 23-year-old knows not much is expected of Wales, but she’s ready to defy the oddsGettyWales were drawn in Group D alongside defending champions England, world number ten France and world number 11 Netherlands.
As for Wales, they are ranked 30th in the FIFA women’s rankings.
Unsurprisingly, many have written Wales off.
If the jitters of competing on such a remarkable stage for the first time, then surely the brilliance of England, Netherlands and France will prove to be too much, right?
Well, not if you ask Clark or any of her Welsh teammates, who relish the prospect of taking on some of the world’s best.
“We couldn’t have asked for a tougher group,” Clark said.
“But if it’s going to to be our first major tournament, then why not do it the hard way?
“I actually think it might work in our favour. People will start to write us off. We’ve already been labelled the underdog. We’re the lowest-ranked team.
“I think we can surprise a lot of people. We know within the group the mentality that we have.
“We’re used to this pressure and being the underdog, so I think we can really thrive.”
Euro 2025 - Group D fixtures
July 5, 5pm: Wales v Netherlands
July 5, 8pm: France v England
July 9, 5pm: England v Netherlands
July 9, 8pm: France v Wales
July 13, 8pm: Netherlands v France
July 13, 8pm: England v Wales
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