The former footballer has reflected on her own England debut, in a 4-0 victory over Scotland how happy she was to “buzz around” because she was more fearless back then.

She told FourFourTwo magazine: “I was still only 17 years old, I was in my first spell at Arsenal and England were travelling to Scotland for a friendly game up in Livingston.

“I played as a centre forward, up front with Kerry Davis – I just remember that my main job was buzzing around, running and chasing the ball.

“We were trying our best to keep possession but also score goals.

“I managed to get on the scoresheet in that game.

“When you’re still a young player, you take more risks and can express yourself a little bit more because you don’t have the nerves.”

As well as fond memories of her first England game – a 3-0 victory over Turkey in a World Cup qualifier in 2010 - Rachel will never forget receiving her 100th cap either, particularly because she’d been warned her international days were over.

She said: “I was given the captain’s armband and led the team out, which was a nice gesture by our manager Hope Powell and the regular captain Faye White.

“I scored that day as well.

“It was a year earlier that I’d been dropped from the squad for the Euros and everyone told me I would told me I would never play for England again.

“But football gives you the ability to be resilient and push yourself.

“People didn’t believe that it would happen, but to come back, play a lot more games and reach a century of caps was very special for me – and emotional too.”