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The Women’s Euros 2025 kicked off on Wednesday 2 July, and with England facing France this Saturday, all eyes are on the Lionesses as they look to recreate their 2022 magic. That landmark tournament didn’t just deliver silverware; it also propelled many of these players into stardom and made them dream partners for global brands.
Take Lucy Bronze. Since 2022, she’s featured in high-profile campaigns for Visa, Pepsi and became the first-ever face of fashion brand ALIGNE in March 2024. Meanwhile, Ella Toone’s rise has translated into deals across sectors, from longstanding sportswear partnerships (Nike) to beauty (Charlotte Tilbury) and even her own creative agency, Amicizia Studios. And then there’s Lauren James: still early in her career, yet already working with brands like McDonald’s, Barclays, Google Pixel and Nike.
For brands, the Lionesses represent the new gold standard of ambassadors – authentic, influential, and with broad, engaged audiences. But that influence comes with expectations, and the most successful partnerships begin with one key ingredient – alignment.
The strongest brand-athlete collaborations are those that appear well matched.
Lucy Bronze partnered with ALIGNE, a female-led, sustainability-focused fashion brand. The collaboration reflected her public image as a style-aware athlete and advocate for women’s sport.
Bronze said: “Speaking to them [ALIGNE] about their commitment for being female-led, I realised there was a strong connection between my values and theirs – we are so passionate about empowering women.“
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Doritos featured Kelly in a mural in Manchester as part of its For the Bold in Everyone campaign. Known for her confident playing style, Kelly was selected to front a campaign celebrating boldness and inclusivity.
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Lauren James has spoken about how important it is for her to stay true to herself and inspire young players. These values align closely with Nike’s emphasis on self-belief and empowerment, making her a strong fit for the brand.
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Alessia Russo partnered with Hellmann’s to launch Hellmann’s Russo Burger in the run-up to UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. The initiative brings fans together to watch the tournament and raises funds for the grassroots campaign Her Game Too.
Russo said: “What Her Game Too stands for is what I and many other female players stand for too. To be able to help play a little part means a lot.”
This collaboration combined Hellmann’s focus on community and food culture with Russo’s advocacy for increasing opportunities for women and girls in football.
For brands, these examples reinforce the importance of prioritising values alignment over sheer fame or follower count. A high profile alone isn’t enough; an athlete’s lifestyle, interests and public persona should reflect the ethos a brand wants to project. When there’s this kind of alignment, partnerships are more likely to feel credible and resonate with audiences.
Ella Toone’s ambassador roles span very different audiences – a football crowd for Nike, a style-conscious community for Charlotte Tilbury, and her own creative brand work. Her strength lies in her ability to move between sectors while staying authentic and engaging.
For brands assessing potential ambassadors, it’s important to look beyond follower numbers and audience size. While Toone commands an Instagram following of over 730,000, brands should also consider how an athlete communicates: their tone of voice, how they engage with fans and the level of trust they’ve built with their community. This qualitative influence often matters more than raw metrics when it comes to driving meaningful results.
Today’s audiences expect brand ambassadors to reflect the values they associate with the brands they endorse. For brands, this means taking proactive steps to ensure any partnership holds up under public attention and aligns with their own ethos.
Thorough due diligence investigations can help assess whether an athlete’s values, behaviour and affiliations are compatible with your brand’s positioning. This goes beyond surface-level impressions: they can highlight potential risks that might not be immediately obvious, such as historical social media activity, business interests or conflicting sponsorships. Even when an athlete’s public image is overwhelmingly positive, due diligence provides an added layer of assurance by identifying any factors that could undermine a campaign’s credibility or create misalignment.
While we do not comment on individual players or speculate on their backgrounds unless engaged by a client, these principles apply universally. Background checks are not about ruling athletes out but about equipping brands with the insights they need to make informed decisions. This process helps mitigate potential risks and ensures partnerships are built on a solid foundation of shared values and expectations.
As the Lionesses attempt to retain their European title, it’s a timely reminder of the power of athlete partnerships. InsightX’s due diligence process helps brands assess alignment, mitigate potential risks and make informed decisions.
Talk to us about how we can support your sponsorship strategy – and here’s to England bringing it home again.
Curious how the Lionesses became some of the most sought-after brand ambassadors? Discover how their 2022 Euros victory turned them into top targets for sponsors and investors.
Company number: 12674763
The Stanley Building, Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG
Tel: +44 020 3488 2991
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Company number: 12674763
The Stanley Building, Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG
Tel: +44 020 3488 2991
