Sports Minister Helen Grant believes the England Women’s team are ideal role models for young girls.
And the former U16 judo champion will be at Wembley on Sunday to watch the Three Lions take on European champions Germany.
England Women v Germany
Breast Cancer Care International
3pm, Sunday 23 November
Wembley Stadium connected by EE
Live on BBC Two
She said: "Having these players as role models is absolutely huge. I spoke to a number of the players and they are all fantastic women, fantastic people for girls to look up to.
"When they go out on the pitch on Sunday there will be a number of young girls watching in the crowd and on TV and they will say to their parents at the end of the game ‘One day I want to be a footballer’ and that would be fantastic.
"That’s exactly what we want."
Grant was heavily involved in sport as a youngster, becoming captain of her school tennis and hockey teams, and representing her county in hockey, tennis, athletics, and cross-country.
And she is excited by the prospect of being among 55,000 fans at the Home of Football.
Grant added: "It’s going to be absolutely fantastic. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s an historic match against one of our greatest rivals.
"We have had record ticket sales for this game so that just goes to show the power of women’s sport and the power of women in sport to excite audiences."
