Lauren James has launched a scholarship programme for young girls from minority backgrounds in football, aiming to address the lack of diversity in the women’s game by supporting the next generation. The scholarship launched earlier this year, with recipients getting invaluable access to James’ partners and mentors, as well as the Chelsea star herself as they navigate the early years of their careers. With only a handful of POC in the WSL, James has become one of the leading faces for Black girls and women in football in England, so it’s only right that she uses that platform to support the sport’s future trailblazers. Here’s to more efforts to change the game in the future, not just from players, but football associations, too.