Leah Williamson Almost Quit Football at 15. Now She's ...

At 15, Leah Williamson stood in a car park and told her mum she wanted to quit football. The future England captain was exhausted, worried about money, and unsure if her dream could ever become a career.

"I'm tired, you're tired, we're traveling a lot, it costs a lot of money," Williamson told her mother that day. "It's a bit of a gamble, it's not professional."

Her mum's response was simple: if you want to stop, you tell them yourself. Williamson was too scared to do it, so she kept going.

That choice changed everything. Today, Williamson has won nearly every trophy available in women's football, including two European championships as England captain, the Champions League, and the inaugural Women's Champions Cup with Arsenal.

The journey started humbly. Williamson's mum admits watching her daughter play as a young child "wasn't thrilling." Williamson couldn't even kick a ball properly until she was 10 years old, relying on toe-punts instead of proper technique.

She was the only girl on her first team, Scots Youth FC. While her teammates protected her, opposing parents made things difficult, telling their sons not to lose to a girl.

Leah Williamson Almost Quit Football at 15. Now She's a Champion

Even as a teenager training with Arsenal, Williamson wasn't the loudest talent. Other players were getting noticed by the first team while she watched from the sidelines, wondering if she was good enough.

The turning point came during prep for the 2015 World Cup. After a strong season with Arsenal, Williamson got a call from England manager Mark Sampson, though she'd just gotten injured.

She signed her first professional contract on her 18th birthday after deciding against university or an American scholarship. The game in England was growing too fast and too exciting to leave.

Why This Inspires

Williamson's story proves that even champions doubt themselves. Her honesty about nearly quitting, about not being naturally gifted, and about needing her mum's gentle push reminds us that success rarely follows a straight line.

She now plays for sold-out stadiums and inspires millions of young footballers. But she remembers the parents who told their kids not to lose to a girl, and she remembers being too scared to quit even when she wanted to.

Now, with nearly everything won, Williamson has one goal left: the World Cup.