Published: 19:07, 2 March 2026 | Updated: 19:07, 2 March 2026

Jess Park’s introduction to the Euros last summer came in the second half of their final group game against Wales, with the Lionesses already 4-0 up and a quarter-final spot all but confirmed.

Park had barely been on the field five minutes when a looping ball from Keira Walsh was floated into the box. Jumping to reach it, Park batted it towards goal with the inside of her right boot mid-air. She was already wheeling away to celebrate when she turned to see that the goalkeeper’s touch had caused the ball to bounce off the post and a Welsh defender had managed to clear it off the line.

Hands to her head, shoulders slumped, the disappointment that the move had not paid off was etched across the then 23-year-old Manchester City winger’s face. The rest of the game floated away, with Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones adding to England’s tally. The match ended 6-1, and that was that.

It was yet unknown to the youngster that those 46 minutes, when the Lionesses were...