Ella Toone: England midfielder said she didn't properly grieve after her father's death

England midfielder Ella Toone said she didn't "actually grieve" after the death of her father until a period on the sidelines through injury forced her to get "mentally right".

Nick Toone was diagnosed with prostate cancer the day after the Lionesses beat Germany to win Euro 2022, where his daughter scored the opening goal.

He passed away in September 2024, three days before his 60th birthday.

Manchester United's Women's Super League campaign got under way just two weeks later and Toone started every league game for them until suffering a calf injury in training in November.

Toone hadn't scored in six games before her injury and in her own words had lost her love for the game.

"I had just lost my dad before the season started," the 25-year-old told The Tooney & Russo Show.

"I played on after that and probably wasn't enjoying it as much as I should have been. I would never have told myself that or admitted it because all I ever wanted to do was play football for him.

"When it actually got taken out of my hands it made me realise, 'right, I do need this, I do need to step away from football and get myself mentally right more than anything'. I needed to have that love for the game again and miss it."

Toone's time away from the pitch allowed her to physically and mentally focus on herself.

She started speaking to a counsellor and spent time in Dubai with her partner Joe while undergoing rehab.

"At first I didn't miss it," she added. "I was doing my rehab, I was enjoying being in the gym and getting stronger. It was the best thing I could have done to get myself mentally right and actually grieve.

"I don't think I grieved, I don't think I thought that it was real."

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