Quotes from Steph Houghton

It is important to have down time between training and matches.

I want to be the best professional and the greatest role model I can be.

The support of our fans is vital to everything that we do - we always play for our country and our fans.

It's not so long ago I was paying £250 a season to play. I don't think in my lifetime it will ever get to wage parity with the men, but we have made so many great strides already.

I am proud to be captain of an England team who believe in themselves and enjoy the way we play.

I don't tend to carry much cash around, as I use my bank card whenever I can.

Michael Owen's wonder goal against Argentina in 1998 was one defining memory, and as a Sunderland supporter, I remember crying my eyes out after they lost that play-off final against Charlton. Much as that hurt, it made me realise how much I wanted to play the game.

I know other people say that football isn't easy as a sport for girls, but my family and friends have always been really supportive.

It is a bit surreal when I'm out and people are having a look or staring or wanting selfies.

I'd like to be more assertive when it comes to confrontation. I'm fine on the pitch, but off the pitch, I'm a bit of a softy.

I think people admire us for dedicating our lives to be professional athletes. But we need more people to come and watch club games; we need to encourage girls to play football from an early age.

I knew there was going to be pressure on me with the captaincy. I knew people would be writing about my performances more than anyone else's, but that's not a problem because I have my dad telling me about my performance every single game, and he is my biggest critic.

That was something I probably had to go through, a learning curve in terms of trying to develop into the captain I want to be.

We're doing a lot of work in schools getting girls to play football, breaking down any taboos there might be, and we're seeing them get interested and bring their families along, where they have such a good match day experience that they're coming back.

The image of women's football has definitely changed. Now we've got to make sure it keeps developing.

We've had to pay to play. We've had to borrow kit. We've had to train on a Friday night. Maybe a lot of boys, given that opportunity, would slip away, whereas we've had the mentality to go, 'I really want this. I'm going to show that I can do this.'

I'm in such a privileged position to class football as my full-time job, to be captain of England, captain of Manchester City. I'm very lucky.

The captaincy is about putting the team first, making sure the girls are happy - that they're comfortable with the processes we have, the way that the schedule is - to be able to challenge people on and off the pitch: not telling them off, but advising them.

The amount of TV exposure we have had and the attention women's football has got has been brilliant.

I have to keep performing well for club and country. That's what I always want to do. If I do that, then that extra media attention comes towards me.

I don't practise indirect free-kicks, but the technique and how I strike the ball I practise a lot.

With the likes of social media and outside influences - we're going to be on telly a lot more - I think it's important that you listen to the right people, whether it's your team-mates, your parents, or your coaches, and don't take too much to heart.

We've got to make sure we keep the media attention on us; being on telly and in the papers gets people interested.

We want to be treated as professionals and like the male footballers.