Nikita Parris

“Everyone used to say I'm a rising star, and I've got raw talent, but I really wanted to be, honestly, the best.”

“I'm in a position where I can have an effect on young people. If people can take inspiration from me, that's great.”

“I think it's clear to see that Lyon plan to continue to win the Champions League and be the best team in Europe.”

“Scoring a goal for England is special. Scoring in a World Cup is even more special.”

“To me, it's just another game of football - 11 players, a grass pitch. Regardless what shirt I have on, it's important you win the game, and I'm competitive as anyone, and I want to win every game, whether it's a Sunday league game, a five-a-side tournament, or a World Cup qualifier.”

“Once I started playing as a striker, I'd say I looked up to Julie Fleeting and Thierry Henry.”

“I do a bit of boxing in the off-season to stay fit - it's a different kind of fitness.”

“When Olympique Lyon come in for you, it's not a team you turn down.”

“Always stay in a happy medium in sport, because you never know what's around the corner.”

“I grew up in an area of inner-city Liverpool. There were plenty of opportunities but also plenty of challenges - you could go down the right or wrong path, depending on one moment.”

“I think about giving back every single day, about the people who put so much effort into supporting my mum and me.”

“I'm proud to say that my sister was the first female boxer in the Olympics. That's history. She made her mark. And that's what you want to do in any sport.”

“I have a niece now, and it makes me want to be better for her, just to show that there's a big wide world outside Toxteth, and you can imprint yourself in any one of those places as long as you do the hard work and have the desire.”

“I knew from a young age what I wanted to do, but that's not the case for everyone. Some go through different paths to reach their destination.”

“You have to respect America for respecting the pioneers of the game. That's important. We do that a lot in our game in England. What they've done for women's football across the world is massive.”

“When you step up and take a penalty, it's 50/50 - but you've got to back yourself.”

“When I came into football, my whole identity was to be one of the best players in the world, if not the best player, and for me, that is what is driving me each and every day.”

“The pride you feel when you represent your country, not to mention scoring, is something you can't really explain. It's massive.”

“I'm confident in myself. It's not a case of I've missed a penalty, and I'm down.”

“Our under-19s, under-20s, under-17s teams are all getting into Euro finals, World Cup finals, winning bronze medals. We're winning bronze medals; it's about that final step now. We've got to punish teams. In every game - youth games, senior games - just to push the game further.”