Former England international Karen Carney continues to break barriers as a broadcaster

Now, the 34-year-old former England international-turned-pundit strives to be one of the people that the next generation looks up to.

"It was difficult growing up playing and being the only girl," Carney told DAZN.

"The only females that I remember were Kelly Smith and Rachel Yankey, but I actually had to actively work hard to go and find information information about them."

Male role models were far easier to come by in those days, she noted.

"My role models were were male footballers and that was amazing, don't get me wrong," Carney said. 

"My coaches were my role models and they were male. I don't have an issue with that because I'm very much thankful that we've got some fantastic male allies that amplify me or push me or, you know, encourage me and back me."

A near 15-year career that included appearances in four World Cups and one Olympic Games made Carney a household name, and it was towards the end of her playing days that she started thinking about a switch to broadcasting.

"I started doing TV and radio when I was injured whilst I was playing, and it was just like, for me, it was just a way of staying in the game when I was injured, like learning tactically and going to games," Carney explained.

"So it was like, 'I'm injured, I get to go to a game' and then I started to fall in love with it."

When she hung up the boots for good, Carney put her full focus on becoming a broadcaster. She was motivated by a desire to stay in the game — and by necessity.

"It got to the end of my career where I needed a job," she said. 

"I'm not in a financial[ly] great position as a female footballer, I didn't particularly earn great [enough] that I could be picky and choosey and have a gap year and whatever and the opportunity came up. I'm like, 'I love football, why would I not just dive into it?' And what I quickly found was just because you played the game doesn't mean you're a good broadcaster, so I've had to put in a lot of work [and] a lot of effort to understand that playing football is very different to [doing] TV."

Carney also quickly realised that a lot of the hurdles she faced as a footballer would again stand in her way in her second career.

"When I retired and went into the broadcasting side, it was like, 'Women can't talk about football' or 'What does she know on the touchscreen and the touch table?' And so you go, 'I've got to start this vicious cycle all over again to kind of prove people that women can be involved in it,'" she said.

While Carney hoped to change minds about women's football with her work on the field and on camera, she's particularly proud of the impact she's had on her teenaged niece.

"She's 15, and I get real great pleasure when I've seen in the WhatsApp group that she's watched the game, listened to the analysis, and hopefully I inspire her some way that you could do whatever you want to do as long as you work hard, and you have the right people around you that support and believe in you," Carney said. "I think that's really important."

Carney points to the increased presence of women in all facets of the game as a positive influence for girls growing up now, especially as her niece's experience with role models is such a contrast to that of her own.

"I think not just players I mean it's women in football. So whether it be like the camera woman, the commentator, the co-commentator, [the] presenter, the player, the coach, you know, I think she's got more female [representation], specifically in football," Carney said. "I think she has more of an association now and attachment which is really cool."

With the women's game continuing to grow around the globe, especially on the professional side where more eyes are on tournaments like the Women's Champions League and various domestic leagues than ever before, Carney feels that the sport will keep reaching new heights, inspiring girls and women for generations to come.

"Women's football is absolutely flying and I don't see [it] stopping," she said.

"I think it's gonna keep going and keep propelling."