Our Kiddo

I'm gonna be sick

First match of the euros. This was huge. Evie felt so sick it was untrue. They'd planned everything. They all knew their roles. Less, Ella and Evie were options to be subbed on to pick the game up at around the hour mark. It was daunting and massive.

All of them were walking round the pitch and taking everything in. Old Trafford was impressive. Very impressive.

All of their training and hard work came down to this. Evie and Lotte took a walk round. They were chatting like usual, not like they were about to play in the biggest match of their lives.

"Absolute carpet," Ella said as she stroked the pitch.

Soon enough they were in the changing rooms, kick off not far away. Evie actually felt like she was going to throw up. Fear was crashing through her. She tried to remember everything her psychiatrist had told her but she couldn't. Nerves blocked everything out.

"I'm gonna be sick," Evie said as she leapt up and sprinted into the toilets. She reached them just in time. Lucy had followed after her and began rubbing her back.

"Kiddo, you're going to be fine. You are such a good player and I'm not just saying that. You take everyone on and you can always pick up a game. Please, please take some deep breaths. At the end of the day it's a football match," she said.

"I can't do it," Evie replied, still doubled over but no longer feeling as if she was about to throw up everywhere.

"Yes you can. We need you. We're a team and all of us have to work together to make this whole thing work out."

For the team. That was it. It was for the team.

Evie straightened up and followed Lucy back into the main changing bit.

"E, do you want me to do your hair?" Less called over. It would make a good distraction so she went and sat down between Alessia's knees.

The two of them spoke and laughed as she put her hair into the regular two plaits.

After a final team talk, it was time to head out. They went and sat on the bench, Evie with Tooney and Less on one side, Lotte and Jill on the other.

All of them stood back up for the anthems, their arms wrapped around each other, singing loudly, hoping to do the country proud.

Jamie had made the journey up and Evie had given her other tickets to some of her U17s teammates who lived nearest Old Trafford. It was her way of paying back everything her team had done for her.

Mrs Cooper was so upset that she couldn't make it as it was too far when she had to work the next day and Jemma and Ella had to stay at home as well. They all promised to watch on TV the whole time.

The game kicked off and the roar of the fans was unlike anything Evie had ever heard. It was an energy and a complete surge for everyone.

The first few minutes were tight. It was such a huge game and it took them some time to settle down.

A perfect break led to Beth tipping it over Manu. The stadium erupted. All of them jumped around, connected with the joy of going ahead. This is what football was about.

The rest of the first half was the weirdest stress Evie had ever felt. England were good but so were Austria. The match was dead lock and they needed something to break it.

15 minutes into the second half and Evie, Ella and Less all waited to be subbed on. There was loud cheering as they entered the pitch, ready to give all they could.

Playing in front of this many people was disconcerting. It took a few minutes for Evie to get her blood pressure down and for her to relax into it. She was on high alert, looking for any opportunity to create a build-up.