'They think I just go home and make TikToks - it's not true'

Leicester City striker Alisha Lehmann is arguably the most recognisable female footballer in the world. Boasting nearly 16 million followers on Instagram and a further 11. 8 million on TikTok, she walked the catwalks of Milan last year while playing in Italy and her striking looks regularly catch the attention of the tabloids.

By her own recognition, that can establish a certain public perception - and it is something she is keen to quash after swapping Mediterranean life for a relegation battle in the East Midlands. The publicity surrounding her January move focused as much on her off-field persona as what she brought to the team. "When I was younger, it affected me more because I didn't know how to handle the situation," she says.

"There were moments where I was really sad and I used to ask my mum if I could not play football anymore. "Football is the thing I love the most and it's what I have put the most time into. I rest so well, I sleep every afternoon and I would never do anything before training or a game that would affect how I play.

I care so much about it. "People don't know how much effort I actually put in when they say 'Oh, she's not a footballer'. "But now, I'm fine.