Rachel Daly

Despite playing just three years for the St. John's University Red Storm from 2012 to 2015, Daly set the school's career records for both goals (50) and points (111). As a freshman, she did not see game action due to NCAA compliance regulations. During her second year, she played and started in all 21 games and set St. John's single-season records in goals (23) and points (50), becoming the program's first-ever player to be named a NSCAA All-American, after earning Second Team honours. As a junior, she was the team's leading player in points with 18, including eight goals and two assists. As a senior, she appeared in 20 games, making 19 starts, and finished as the leading scorer on the team with 19 goals and five assists for a total of 18 points. She became the first player in program history to be selected to the NSCAA All-America First Team and the first to be named a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy.

Youth

Coming from the youth department of Leeds United LFC, Daly initially played in the English League for Leeds United and Lincoln Ladies at a young age. She played for the W-League franchises Los Angeles Strikers and Los Angeles Blues in 2013 and 2014. With the latter she won the W-League championship with a clear 6–1 in the final over the Washington Spirit reserve team. After another season with WPSL participant SoCal FC, Daly took part in the college draft for the 2016 season of the NWSL after graduating.

Houston Dash

Daly was selected by NWSL club Houston Dash as the sixth overall pick of the 2016 NWSL College Draft. The NWSL Media Association voted Daly Player of the Week for the first week of the season after she contributed a goal and an assist in the Dash's 3–1 win against the Chicago Red Stars. She appeared in 16 games in the 2016 season, tallying four goals and four assists. She was one of three finalists for NWSL Rookie of the Year. Daly returned to the Dash for the 2017 season, appearing in 23 games and scoring five goals. On 20 November 2017, the Houston Dash announced that Daly had signed a new contract with the club. In the 2018 season, Daly was named Player of the Week for week nine, as well as Player of the Month for the month of May. Daly started all 24 games for the Dash and scored a career high 10 goals. She was voted team MVP and named to the NWSL Second XI for the 2018 season. Daly was named captain of the Dash ahead of the 2020 NWSL…

Daly has represented England at the U-15, U-17, U-19, and U-23 levels. She was a member of England's U-17 World Cup team that finished fourth in New Zealand in 2008. When Mark Sampson replaced Hope Powell as England coach, he named Daly in his first squad in December 2013. She won her first senior cap in June 2016, scoring in England's 7–0 Euro 2017 qualifying win over Serbia. Daly was left off Sampson's squad for the Euro 2017. After not being called up for nearly a year, Daly was included in England's squad for the 2018 SheBelieves Cup by new head coach Phil Neville. Daly featured in four of England's World Cup qualifying games in 2018, as England won their group and qualified for the 2019 World Cup. She won the 2019 SheBelieves Cup with England, where she appeared in two games and played all 90 minutes in a 2–2 draw against the United States. In July 2022 Daly was included, and started every game at left back, with the England squad which won the Euro 2022. In November 2022, she started her first international match as a forward during a series of friendlies in which manager Sarina Wiegman was trying out options to replace the perennial but recently-retired number 9 Ellen White, with Daly saying "she will play wherever Wiegman needs her". On 19 February 2023, Daly was once again played as a centre-forward in an Arnold Clark Cup match against Italy: in the occasion, she scored a brace that helped England gain a 2–1 win. On 31 May 2023, Daly was named to the squad for the…

She has previously dated Dash teammate Kristie Mewis and Manchester United WSL player Millie Turner. On 29 November 2024, she announced her engagement to Aston Villa teammate Sarah Mayling. As part of the "Where Greatness Is Made" campaign, a plaque honouring Daly was installed at the Killinghall Nomads ground in Killinghall, Harrogate.