The growth of women's football has created more opportunities than ever before for young girls dreaming of playing at the highest level.
Following Brighton & Hove Albion Women's appearance at Wembley, manager Dario Vidosic spoke about the importance of creating opportunities for young players, encouraging girls to spend more time playing the game, and how parents can help nurture a lifelong passion for football.
Wembley Can Inspire the Next Generation
Although Brighton fell short on the day, Vidosic believes the experience of competing at Wembley can have a lasting impact both on his squad and on young supporters watching from the stands or at home.
"Look, it was a fantastic experience," he said. "Other than the result, I feel we're a little bit hard done by. I think the girls played fantastically well, we just weren't clinical enough.
"That's always the hard bit when you're playing against the champions of England. They don't need too many chances to punish you."
Despite the disappointment, the Brighton manager sees the occasion as an important building block.
"All in all, it was a fantastic experience. We're disappointed with the result, but that's something we can really build on for next season."
Creating More Pathways For Young Girls To Reach The Top
When asked what needs to be in place for more girls to reach elite clubs, Vidosic highlighted the importance of access to football from an early age.
"For a junior, I think a lot of it is the opportunities they get when they're young," he explained.
Having strong grassroots clubs, school football programmes and accessible environments where children can simply play the game remain vital parts of the development journey.
But Vidosic also believes some of the most important football education happens away from organised sessions.
"I think a lot of it comes from playing the game at school or in the back garden," he said.
Read More: Girls’ Grassroots Football in the UK: A Complete Guide for Parents
Less Screen Time, More Time With a Ball
One of Vidosic's key messages was the importance of balancing technology with active play.
He believes young players benefit from spending more time developing their skills through practice, repetition and enjoyment of the game.
"Not getting caught up spending too much time on technology, Nintendos, PlayStations and all that sort of thing," he said.
"The more time you dedicate to the graft and getting yourself as good as possible, it gives you a better and better chance when you get older to make it to the elite level."
Advice for Parents Looking to Get Their Daughters Involved
For parents wondering how to introduce their daughters to football, Vidosic's advice was straightforward: create opportunities and encourage participation.
"It's probably just the opportunity to get them out, get them playing the game and getting them involved," he said.
The Brighton boss hopes major occasions such as Wembley finals can inspire more young girls to dream big and see a future for themselves within the sport.
"I think especially with the girls, a trip to Wembley has hopefully inspired the next generation and they strive to be there one day as well."
He also pointed to the continued growth of the women's game and the increasing visibility of elite players and venues as reasons for optimism.
Football's Lasting Impact Beyond The Pitch
Beyond the technical development and competitive opportunities, Vidosic believes football offers something equally important: friendships and life experiences.
"I think just getting them out there and getting them playing," he said.
"It's nice because they can develop a lot of friendships they'll keep for a long time as well."
As women's football continues to grow across the UK and beyond, that simple message remains at the heart of the game: provide opportunities, encourage participation and let young girls enjoy playing football.
