Strong Is… is a three-part documentary series which follows the journeys of the most distinguished players and personalities in the women’s game, dealing with subjects ranging from personal tragedy and injury trauma, mental health, sexuality, and self-confidence.

After losing her mum at the age of just 14, Fran struggled with depression and anxiety, eventually giving up on the sport she loved and taking some time away from the football pitch.

The world-class striker found her way back into football through a local Sunday league team, beginning a new journey that saw her enjoy the highs of playing for Women’s Super League side Chelsea and the England women’s team, alongside the disappointing set-back of an injury that saw her ruled out of the 2015 Women’s World Cup quarter-finals and the following 12 months.

Strong Is…Fran Kirby focuses on her personal journey, documenting the mental and physical strength she developed in order to overcome issues that she herself acknowledges people everywhere, both in and out of football, have had to face.

Fran Kirby said: “Before my mum passed away, I was a very extroverted person, I was very outgoing – I didn’t care what people thought about me. I was very young when it happened, and I became very introverted and anxious and I still don’t think that has completely gone away.

“When I first joined Chelsea, it took me a while to come out of my shell. Even as little as 10 years ago, people probably wouldn’t have liked me as a person – I didn’t like me as a person. It took me a long time to find myself, start loving myself and taking care of myself again.

“I’ve accepted now that it’s OK not to be OK. It’s the one thing that I would emphasise to anyone – it is OK to be upset, and it is OK to need to talk to someone. It’s a normal part of life.

“I’m really proud to be a part of the ‘Strong Is…’ series as part of Together #WePlayStrong. I believe the more people talk about these issues and read about them in the media, the more open they’ll become to talking about it with their friends, family or to someone who can help them.”

Through Together #WePlayStrong, UEFA’s ambition for how the game can attract more girls to play involves raising the profile and image of the game and increasing the visibility of players and their pathway into football.

Peter Willems, Head of Marketing and Sponsorship Activities at UEFA, said: “Our Strong Is… series is an integral part of the wider Together #WePlayStrong campaign and is a platform for us to send an important message to young girls across Europe.

“It’s vital for us to demonstrate that strength comes in many forms, and we are grateful to the three players who have worked with us to tell their stories of strength and resilience.

“Fran is not only a world class player but a role model for young girls, and it is our hope that her compelling story will inspire the next generation of footballers.”

The inspirational film is also being backed by Mind, the mental health charity based in England and Wales.

Hayley Jarvis, Head of Physical Activity for Mind, said: “One in four of us in the UK will experience a mental health problem in any given year and elite sports professionals are no different. It’s testament to how far we’ve come in opening up the conversation about mental health that more and more people from the world of sport feel comfortable talking publicly about their own experiences.

“Mind research found that a quarter of people surveyed in England and Wales said hearing a celebrity talk openly about their own mental health had directly inspired them to seek help for themselves and half said it has helped them to feel like they weren’t alone.

“We know the power that sport has to change people’s lives, which is why we are working with organisations like the EFL to be real game changers in increasing the awareness and understanding of mental health among players, fans and within wider society.”

Strong Is… Fran Kirby is the second film released by Together #WePlayStrong as part of the Strong Is…initiative, with the first profiling Wolfsburg and Sweden international Nilla Fischer. A feature on Olympic Lyonnais and Netherlands player Shanice van de Sanden will be the final part of the trilogy, with all films covering real-life topics including sexuality, mental health, bullying and gender equality in football.

Watch the film now here.

Courtesy of UEFA via Frame

The three-part short features document the journeys of the 3 of the most distinguished players and personalities in the women’s game, dealing with subjects ranging from personal tragedy and injury trauma, mental health, sexuality, and self-confidence.

Fran Kirby (right) (Photo by UEFA)

Released to coincide with the latest round of UEFA European qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019, Strong Is … profiles the lives of Swedish captain Nilla Fischer, PFA Player of the Year and Chelsea forward Fran Kirby, and current UEFA Women’s EURO champion from the Netherlands, Shanice van de Sanden, with unprecedented access.

Each player has her own dedicated film, which not only chronicles her career but discusses the on and off-field challenges each has had to overcome to reach the top. Discussing these real-life issues is a fundamental pillar of UEFA’s strategy to increase participation and awareness of women’s football and follows-on from the successful day-in-the-life video blog series, Press Play.

Nilla Fischer, Wolfsburg and Swedish national team player, said: “Together #WePlayStrong is a fantastic initiative and encompasses everything that’s important to me about the game. I was really happy to share my journey as part of Strong Is … Football has allowed me to raise awareness of subjects that are important to me, and hopefully I will inspire others to be strong and confident in who they are.”

Fran Kirby, Chelsea forward and England international, continued: “It’s an honour to be part of UEFA’s Strong Is… documentary series and I’m grateful that they have given me a platform to discuss mental health within the game so openly. It’s a battle which many people face, and I hope that my film encourages girls and boys to talk about their own struggles.”

Shanice van de Sanden (PHOTO UEFA)

Shanice van de Sanden, Lyon and Netherlands professional, said: “UEFA’s campaign advocates self-expression and individuality, qualities which are important for young girls to embrace. I want to show girls across Europe that it’s okay not to follow the crowd, and I hope that my Strong Is… documentary inspires them to be who they want to be.”

Peter Willems, UEFA Head of Marketing Activities and Sponsorship: “Our Strong Is… series is an integral part of the wider Together #WePlayStrong campaign and is a platform for us to send an important message to young girls across Europe.

“Participating in football can offer girls increased confidence and self-esteem in life and is a place to find togetherness as a team and acceptance as an individual.

“Nilla, Fran and Shanice all have inspiring stories, and each has had to use their strength to overcome barriers in their career – whether that be a physical injury, mental health problem, standing up for what they believe or simply finding out who they are as an individual.

“These world-class footballers are not just extraordinary players, but role models for young girls, and it is our hope that their unique stories will inspire the next generation of footballers.”

Strong Is… is not the first time that UEFA has taken a behind-the-scenes look at the everyday lives of professional women’s players.  Press Play, the dedicated YouTube series, follows four international footballers – Lisa Evans, Eunice Beckmann, Sarah Zadrazil and Laura Feiersinger – in video-diary style. The weekly vlogs have clocked-up more than five million views since launching in January, with UEFA’s dedicated YouTube channel continuing to attract subscribers from around the world.

The Strong Is… documentary series will play an integral part in UEFA’s five-year strategic plan to make football the number one sport for girls and women in countries across Europe, becoming a permanent fixture in the wider Together #WePlayStrong campaign, with more documentaries set to roll out in the coming months. By raising the profile of the women’s game, increasing visibility, engagement and investment and driving participation at grassroots level, UEFA hopes to attract more girls to play.

You can find more information on UEFA’s Together #WePlayStrong campaign here.  

Courtesy of Frame on behalf of UEFA. 

Fran Kirby has been a key player in Chelsea’s challenge for The FA WSL 1 title and FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup this season and has continued her fine form in December. Playing in all three of Chelsea’s FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup games, the forward found the net six times including goals against Yeovil and Tottenham and a match winning hat-trick against Liverpool to set up a semi-final against rivals Manchester City this Sunday.

Kirby fought off tough competition from a shortlist including Reading’s Brooke Chaplen and Manchester City forward Claire Emslie. Chaplen helped her side progress in both of their FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup fixtures with two goals against Millwall before holding her nerve in a penalty shoot-out versus Everton. Claire Emslie was also in fine goal-scoring form, playing a vital role in Manchester City’s victories over Birmingham City and Doncaster Rovers.

The FA WSL Player of the Month award celebrates the best players in FA WSL 1, FA WSL 2 and FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup. Each month, three players are shortlisted based on their performances before a media panel selects a winner for each league.

Presented with The FA WSL 1 Player of the Month award, Chelsea’s Fran Kirby said: “Overall, I was really happy with how I performed and also as a team we got some really good results so it was a really positive month and hopefully I can continue that form throughout the year.”

You can watch Fran Kirby in action for Chelsea when they take on Manchester City in the FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup semi-final this Sunday 14 January at Kingsmeadow, k/o 14.00

Fans are able to get their FA WSL fix with a selection of live games on BT Sport, BBC Online and The FA’s WSL Facebook page here as well as live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.

For more information on the FA WSL and to get match tickets visit here.   Join the conversation on Facebook  and on Twitter  @FAWSL using #FAWSL.

Report courtesy of The FA