It’s coming home, it's coming home, football's coming home and our Women's England team are (hopefully) about to win the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022! And today, ahead of the competition kicking off. we are joined by England star, Nikita Parris

Nikita has come a long way from a homemade football pitch in Liverpool, to the top of women's football playing for the likes of Manchester City, Everton, French team Olympique Lyonnais and Arsenal - which is her current club.

Nikita has also held the record as all-time leading scorer in the Women's Super League along with winning multiple leagues and the UEFA Women's Champions League, Nikita was named the FWA Women's Footballer of the Year in 2019. Nikita is truly one of the game's greats.

Nikita joins us from the middle of the England training camp for the Women's Euros and opens up about moments that have made her the athlete she is today, how mental health impacts her performance and why it needs to be spoken about more in the football world.

Plus Nikita talks about the work we need to do to achieve gender equality across sport, why she thinks it’s time we stop comparing mens and womens football, and she shares some inspirational words on how she has become the representation in sport she desperately needed growing up.

It’s impossible not to be inspired listening to Nikita so I truly hope you love this episode too - it made me want to run to the gym stat!. I hope you keep on listening and finding the power to Reign in your own lives. If you love this episode, please get in touch (follow me across social media @joshsmithhosts), I love hearing from you. Love, Josh xxx

P.S. I am so proud that this episode of Reign with Josh Smith which celebrates our inspirational female sporting stars is brought to you thanks to my friends at Pandora, who are the Official National Jewellery Sponsor of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.

This summer of sport is all about encouraging women and girls everywhere to feel empowered and motivated to be the person they want to be. Just like the inspirational female athletes you’re hearing from in these episodes, YOU can achieve anything - whether it’s in sport, your career, or any of your life goals. Get out there, be fearless and write your own story.

And with Pandora, there’s always a piece of jewellery you can create or customise to help tell that story. Just head to pandora.net or your nearest store, now!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Option Block 32: Super Bowl Shuffle