‘I don’t think I grieved, I don’t think I thought it was real’

Ella Toone, an England midfielder, claimed she didn’t “actually grieve” until a time when she was forced to sit on the sidelines due to injury.

The Lionesses beat Germany to win Euro 2022, and Nick Toone’s daughter scored the opening goal, was diagnosed with prostate cancer the following day.

Three days before his 60th birthday, he passed away in September 2024.

Two weeks after Toone’s arrival, Manchester United’s Women’s Super League campaign began. He started playing every game until he injured his calf in training in November.

Before suffering from an injury, Toone had not scored in six games and, in her own words, had lost interest in the game.

Before the season even started, the 25-year-old told The Tooney &amp, Russo Show, “I just lost my dad.”

After that, I continued playing and probably wasn’t as interested as I should have. Because I always wanted to play football for him, I never would have told myself or acknowledged it.

When it actually came out of my hands, I realized more than anything that I needed to step away from football and practice mental correctness. I desperately needed to return to my love for the game.

Toone was able to concentrate on herself both physically and mentally during her time away from the pitch.

While undergoing rehab, she began speaking with a counselor and spent time with her partner Joe in Dubai.

She continued, “At first I didn’t miss it.” I was working on my rehab, getting stronger, and doing my exercises. The best thing I could have done was to mentally prepare for my own grief.

Toone returned with a bang after nine weeks of dissolution.

In her first five games with United, she scored six goals, including a stunning hat-trick against Manchester City.

When I was back on the grass and around the girls, Toone said, “I knew I was ready to kick on.”

“I quickly returned and started scoring goals.” Then, as I started to put pressure on myself and score for my father, I realized I was never going to score again, and my love for the game really increased.

It arrived at the ideal moment, and it is now about to stop falling. You are constantly up and down in football, which is a challenge.

Toone is currently serving as an international player for England’s Nations League clash against Portugal and Spain.

Alessia Russo, her best friend, and current Arsenal player, flew to Manchester after learning of Nick’s passing.

Russo said, “From living together to then being so far down in London was difficult.” All I wanted to do was stand up for what was happening when something as serious as that occurs.

I didn’t really care whether she wanted me there or not. I merely wanted to be there to see her, to share her cry with her, to eat with her, to make her laugh, and to lend a hand to anything else she needed.

In the dark, Russo and other Toone’s team members, both from the local and international, rallied around her.

“Everyone came together,” Toone continued. They have been amazing, as have my team-mates, who are also normal, don’t potter around me, or have no idea what to say.

“The number of people present at the funeral was unbelievable. I had Georgia [Stanway] flying over from Germany, and I had the girls coming out of London.

What would I have done if I had all these people coming and said, “Wow, I am so lucky to have these people,” I thought?

Toone’s challenging off-field and on-field season came to an impressive eight goals and four assists.

She used her father’s sky as a source of inspiration whenever she found the back of the net.

Everyone is sad that day and talks about memories, and it’s difficult for everyone to go through that. However, it’s still difficult for us.

On Friday, May 30th, the Tooney and Russo Show’s second season will be available on BBC Sounds and YouTube, with fresh episodes arriving every Monday and Friday.