Ella Toone certainly knows what it takes to play at the highest level of women’s football.
After starring for the Lionesses at their European Championship victory last summer, she is hoping to do so again at the Women’s World Cup this year.
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Whilst international level success could follow again in the coming weeks, Toone is not shy of club triumphs with Manchester United.
She joined the Red Devils from arch-rivals Manchester City in 2018 and won the Women’s Championship in the club’s inaugural season.
Fan tension between the two Manchester sides have always been clear to see given their respective men’s and women’s successes.
For Toone, such a historic rivalry also spreads to her home life, with her partner Joe Bunney a supporter of United’s rivals.
“I am a massive blue, and she’s a big red. That’s the only thing we don’t have in common and it is the biggest thing for us,” he said to The Times.
“My mates always say I’m a red now, [that I’ve] been converted. I said, ‘No. I’m a Man City fan and a Man United women fan.”
Toone replied: “You are an Ella Toone fan!”, before adding: “We don’t speak on derby day, do we?”
He was quick to offer a cheeky reply: “Well you don’t speak to me because we usually win.”
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Bunney himself is also a football player, having spent most of his career at Rochdale and is now playing for Stalybridge Athletic.
Off the pitch, he does what any avid fan does and follows his team, City, both home and away. And luckily for him, trophies have been regular occurrences in recent times.
Pep Guardiola’s side recently achieved what United were able to do in 1999 – win the treble.
Champions League success was all that was waiting to make history, and Bunney was there in Istanbul to see it first hand.
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He took to Instagram to celebrate the moment with his mates: “WOW .. TREBLE SCENESSSSS !! WE DID IT. What A Team.”
Toone would surely be happy for him, but seeing United’s rivals win was a sad sight as she replied with a crying emoji.
Despite being on opposite sides of the divide, they are set to be united this summer as Toone heads off to the World Cup.
The midfielder is part of Sarina Wiegman’s 23-woman squad for the competition that’s being hosted in Australia and New Zealand.
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England have never won the Women’s World Cup, but the Lionesses enter the competition as one of the favourites.
Before joining her teammates, Toone snapped a picture alongside Bunney with her suitcases and bags packed ready to go.
He captioned the post: “Go smash it and continue to make us proud & Like always we’re all right behind you !! .. See you on the 28th.”
With a love heart and infinity sign, she replied: “Love you.”
