The former Everton and Manchester City forward admitted the 1-0 victory over the USA in the tournament was a “huge step” for the Lionesses and helped them build a strong sense of belief and self-confidence.
She reflected to FourFourTwo magazine: “England’s SheBelieves Cup victory over the USA in New Jersey – on their home patch, in the 89th minute – was a huge step in our Lionesses careers.
“Beating the World Cup holders in front of their own fans was a massive hurdle for us to overcome, especially with our lofty ambitions as a team at the time.
“Ellen White prodding in the winner late on proved to us that we were on the right track.
“We’d finished third in the 2015 World Cup, but our mentality was still developing.
“That win sparked a belief in the rise of the England team – one that has continued to carry us through tournaments in recent years.
“It feels like the foundations for the Euro 2022 triumph and World Cup final spot this summer were built back in 2017 after this win against the world champions.
Izzy scored on her England debut, when the side beat Estonia 8-0 in a Euro 2017 qualifier in 2015, and she still regards the strike as “perfect”.
She recalled: “On my debut in Tallinn, the goal I scored was perfect, a driven strike from the edge of the penalty box that nestled in the bottom corner.
“It was one of those you catch and know instantly it’s heading for the back of the net.”