
Ella Toone wants female footballers to get the 'recognition they deserve'
English midfielder Ella Toone has launched a creative agency to help her fellow female footballers grow their personal brands. Instead of waiting on the side-lines for sponsorships, female players will be turned into 'household names' and 'take back control' of the talent-brand relationship under the agency's guidance.
The Manchester United player co-founded her new venture Amicizia Studios with her long-term agent James Marshall. In an inaugural Instagram post in June 2025, the duo shared that there is 'no nonsense, no messing about' when it comes to the studio's mission to 'blend sports culture and creativity to bring brands and talent together'.
The post continued: 'Working with great people across great brands, podcasts and other digital outlets, we're taking back control of the traditional talent/brand relationship and putting our stamp on it.'
Amicizia says that while it doesn't take itself too seriously it takes a 'head down and game on' approach when it comes to campaigns. 'We're here to give women's footballers a proper platform, not just the odd collab, but solid relationships built with major brands to create opportunities that turn players into household names.'
The studio will serve as a platform to connect female footballers with brand partnerships, marketing campaigns and production opportunities. It will also offer services including content development, creative consultancy and PR to connect women's athletes with brands.
Toone and Marshall hope to boost female players to maximise their earning potential. In their vision statement reported by Forbes, Amicizia says it wants to help players show off their personalities as well as get 'the recognition and the proper fees they deserve'.
For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox.
Amicizia Studios will also serve as a creative hub for Toone to produce her own content. She is a particularly savvy creator and has taken her own brand seriously for years now.
In 2023, she became the first Lioness to trademark her own name and launched the ET7 brand. Under ET7, Toone also launched the ET7 Academy to create a supportive space for girls aged 8-19 to play football under the guise of FA-accredited coaches.
With over 50% of Women's Super League players currently without sponsorship, Amicizia addresses a gap in the relationship between brands and female footballers.
'There's a really big gap in the market. Women's football is growing and growing, and more brands can be involved in that,' Toone told Marketing Week.
Toone is in Switzerland with the Lionesses at the moment for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025. They suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss in their opening match against France but Georgia Stanway said England were 'done talking' about it and were ready to get 'stuck in' against the Dutch on Wednesday, July 9.
Toone is confident England can use that experience to rebound on Wednesday. 'I mean mentally I think we're strong anyway,' she said.
Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Evening Standard
13 minutes ago
- Evening Standard
John Torode ‘blindsided' by MasterChef sacking 'he learnt about off BBC News'
Torode alluded to not having been told prior to media reports appearing in a lengthy statement on Instagram on Tuesday evening, saying: 'Although I haven't heard from anyone at the BBC or Banijay - I am seeing and reading that I've been 'sacked' from MasterChef and I repeat that I have no recollection of what I'm accused of.


Scottish Sun
13 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Reality star from axed show reveals she's secretly married after onscreen romance
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A REALITY TV beauty from a short-lived series has revealed she's married after her former romance played out on-screen. The ITVBe star got engaged in a sweet proposal at Disneyland Paris two years ago. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 7 An Absolutely Ascot star has said I Do Credit: Instagram 7 Claudia Smith got engaged to Luke White in 2023 Credit: Instagram 7 Chloe modelled a dazzling floor length floral wedding dress on her Instagram page Credit: Instagram 7 The Slough-born star found fame on Absolutely Ascot in 2018 Credit: ITV Now Claudia Smith, who runs a party and entertainment service following Absolutely Ascot's show axe, has said I Do to Luke White. She posted a snap showing her in her wedding dress with the words: "Our princess got married. "Thank you to everyone for all of your amazing messages, overwhelmed is an understatement. "I'm currently still on my honeymoon but I will be getting back to enquiries as soon as I can." A video then showed the 28-year-old modelling her stunning strappy floor-length gown, with floral embroidered detail and a matching headpiece. After her engagement in front of the Disney Princess tower two years ago, she gushed: "I'm so glad none of this disappears at midnight." Claudia, from Slough, works as a princess impersonator and gave up fame to juggle her role and work as an elf at a Christmas experience. The brunette beauty shared her impersonation experience on Absolutely Ascot, a show where viewers get a peek into the lives of rich Ascot locals. SHOW AXE Absolutely Ascot ran for two series. The cast sparked controversy even before filming wrapped - as NONE of the stars were thought to live in the upmarket, Royal county town. Absolutely Ascot's Samson Lee Smith and Chloe Bowler get engaged Claudia first appeared in the series in 2018, when The Sun exclusively confirmed the full show line up. The constructed reality TV show - made by the same people behind Towie and The Real Housewives of Cheshire - peaked the interest of many when Claudia's ex boyfriend, Gary Ball, was added to the cast. The pair were each other's first loves and Gary even had plans to propose to her - but it all fell apart, leaving bad blood between him and her whole family. Yet shortly afterwards, she found happiness with James. Absolutely Ascot - cast now ABSOLUTELY Ascot hit screens in 2018. Where are some of the cast now? Absolutely Ascot ran for two series. The cast sparked controversy even before filming wrapped - as NONE of the stars were thought to live in the upmarket, Royal county town. Claudia Smith, from Slough, works as a princess impersonator and gave up fame to juggle her role and work as an elf at a Christmas experience. She has also got married to Luke White. Former show star Henry Simmons has now found romance with Love Island alum Kady McDermott. Mia Sulley, who worked as a make-up artist, is now a fashion model. Angel Bow Stanley joined TOWIE in 2021 as Diag's love interest. Samson Lee Smith and Chloe Bowler got engaged in London 2020. After two series, the show was not renewed despite a fan petition calling for it to be back on screen. Former show star Henry Simmons has now found romance with Love Island alum Kady McDermott. 7 The happy couple are now on Honeymoon Credit: Instagram 7 Her former romance with Gary Ball played out on screen Credit: ITVBE


Daily Mirror
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Amanda Holden makes savage comment about nemesis Sharon Osbourne's 'Ozempic face'
Amanda Holden has reignited her feud with Sharon Osbourne after previously branding her 'bitter and pathetic' over comments she made about Simon Cowell Amanda Holden has fuelled the flames of her feud with Sharon Osbourne again after making a savage comment about her use of Ozempic. The women were involved in a bitter exchange two years ago when Amanda accused The Osbournes star of being 'bitter and pathetic' over comments she made about her former boss on the X Factor, Simon Cowell. Now, Amanda is at it again after saying 'she would always choose her face over her waistline' as she opened up Sharon's use of the drug designed to treat diabetes, which is now being used for weight loss. Former X Factor judge Sharon, 72, has been open about how Ozempic had an severe effect on her appearance after she lost four stone in three months. But, Amanda, 54, doesn't seem to have any sympathy as she told the Mail: "I would choose my face over my waist any day." She continued: "Obviously, yeah, with Sharon....", she paused... "It is a crazy time for those sort of jabs and things. But I will always choose my a*** over my weight and my boobs. This is where the weight goes." Amanda added: "We've seen some huge differences [with celebrities appearances] at some of the red carpets in Hollywood. "I think it's been very helpful for lots of people, I'm obviously not an advocate of somebody using it if they don't need to, just because we don't know what the implications are yet, but I think if people have used it for health reasons and for the right reasons, then it's great." Sharon irked Amanda when she said her Britain's Got Talent boss pal, Simon Cowell, "doesn't know how to keep friends" in a conversation with their fellow former X Factor judge Louis Walsh when the pair appeared together on Celebrity Big Brother. Responding, Amanda branded the comments: "Stabby, stabby, stabby" and accused Sharon of being "bitter and pathetic". She also praised Simon for giving Sharon and Louis a "lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn't have had". However, retorting, Sharon took to Instagram fuming that Amanda did not know her "history in the music industry, my achievements, the artists I have worked with, the shows that I've produced, and my global celebrity". She said whenever she had seen the actress on television she always thought she was "very beautiful and talented" but told her: "Never make comments about my lifestyle given to me by Simon Cowell. "It's demeaning to me and my husband and all the achievements I have made in my life as you're making yourself look like an ill-informed sycophantic." Sharon, who starred alongside her family in the 2000s reality show The Osbournes and had her own talk show, said her brand is "known worldwide" and she has been "blessed with an amazing lifestyle throughout my entire life", with a mansion in Beverley Hills and an English country estate. She continued: "I never discuss money, lifestyle, or positions of power," she said. "I find it to be classless and crude. "Yes, Simon paid me very well. Probably more than what you're receiving today, but all of that my darling went on a few handbags."