Let’s start with a legend who’s been open about her journey. Carly Telford, the former Lionesses goalkeeper, welcomed her daughter Raya in 2026. She’s spoken beautifully about how becoming a mum changed her perspective on pressure. Suddenly, a penalty shootout doesn’t feel like life or death—it’s just football. Raya is her “why,” but also her reminder that a save is just a save.
You can picture Carly at home, right? Trying to do nappy changes with the same dexterity she uses to palm away a curling free-kick. She’s shown that you don’t have to choose between being a top-flight athlete and being a mum. You just have to be really good at managing zero sleep.
The modern football mum: Demi Stokes
Then there’s Demi Stokes, the Manchester City defender. Demi and her partner welcomed their son Harlen via surrogacy. And honestly, seeing Demi post a photo of Harlen in a tiny Lionesses kit? My heart did a quadruple somersault. It normalises something that used to feel rare in women’s sport: the idea that you can have a kid and still fly down the wing at top speed.
Imagine being Harlen. Your mum is a professional footballer, and your nursery is basically a team training ground. You learn to crawl while she’s doing shuttle runs. That’s the kind of powerful role model every little kid needs—proof that mums are superheroes in football boots, not just in the kitchen.
Are Lionesses Good Mothers at Evie Wynyard blog
