Rachel Yankey

Yankey's senior playing career began at the age of 16, playing for Arsenal, when she spent a short time on loan with Laval Dynamites, a Canadian team, and then moved to Fulham in 2000. It was here that she was registered as the first professional female footballer in England.

She joined Birmingham City before the 2004–05 season, and then had a short spell with the New Jersey Wildcats of the W-League in the United States. Yankey, along with England teammate Rachel Unitt, played for the Wildcats for the last seven games of the season, and helped them win the W-League championship.

Arsenal

Yankey rejoined Arsenal for the 2005–06 season. In 2006-7 she was part of the "Invincibles" squad who made a clean sweep of all domestic competitions, and she scored several goals in the victorious Champions League campaign. The team continued unbeaten until 2009, and in 2011, Yankey helped Arsenal to another domestic treble. In January 2014, Yankey signed a new two-year contract with Arsenal. She was praised by the club's general manager, Vic Akers: "She remains a key part of the team and her ability and experience will be invaluable in the season ahead." In December 2016, 37 year-old Yankey was released by Arsenal at the end of her contract. Yankey is considered an Arsenal legend and is featured in two of the Emirates stadium exterior murals, "Invincibles" and "Future Brilliance".

In August 1997, Yankey made her senior England debut, scoring in a 4–0 win over Scotland at Almondvale Stadium. Yankey became arguably the most famous female footballer in England, having modelled new England kits, and appeared on the FA women's homepage header. She is also noted for appearing in the BBC's online BBC Sport 'Academy Masterclasses' mini-series, teaching young footballers basic soccer skills. Yankey appeared at the 2007 World Cup, having played an important part in the qualifying campaign. She came on as a half-time substitute in the quarter-final defeat to the United States. In May 2009, Yankey was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by The Football Association. However, in August 2009 she was surprisingly left out of coach Hope Powell's 22–player squad for Euro 2009 with Powell believing that her form did not justify a call–up. Yankey was also overlooked for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Turkey. But after a return to form with Arsenal Ladies, she was recalled by Powell for the 2010 Cyprus Cup, and won her 90th and 91st caps – as a 76th-minute substitute for Jessica Clarke in a 1–0 win over South Africa and as a starter in a 1–0 defeat to Canada. Yankey was thereafter selected regularly again by Powell, and on 29 July 2010, Yankey became the second Englishwoman after Gillian Coultard to earn 100 caps during a home World Cup qualifier against Turkey. Yankey, who was captain for the night, scored a goal and played the…

Yankey was announced as a first team coach of London Bees in June 2018. Following the departure of Luke Swindlehurst in February 2019 to become head coach of Barnet's under-18s team, Yankey was appointed Head Coach. She left the club in May 2019. Yankey has long run her own coaching business, teaching in schools throughout her career. In June 2025 she launched The Rachel Yankey Foundation, to provide young girls with affordable-to-play hubs in the local community, creating a safe space where they can learn to play and enjoy football. Yankey has also worked as a football pundit since the 2015 World Cup.

Yankey grew up in west London with a white English mother; her Ghanaian father did not live with them. She began playing football as the only girl in a boys' team. Aged eight, she shaved her hair off, pretending to be a boy called "Ray" (an acronym of her birth names). Yankey was able to play in the boys' team for two years before her real identity was discovered. Yankey joined Mill Hill United at youth level after the club's manager, Russell Mountford, attended an annual general meeting (AGM) at Yankey's boys' club. She also represented Brent in the London Youth Games as a youngster, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2011.