Women’s Euro 2017

Women’s Euro 2017: Jodie Taylor goes from England outcast to Golden Boot contender England striker Jodie Taylor is three goals clear at the top of the Women’s Euro 2017 scoring chartsWomen’s Euro 2017 semi-final: Netherlands v EnglandVenue: Enschede, the Netherlands Date: Thursday, 3 August Kick-off: 19:45 BSTCoverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 live and online; live text commentary on the BBC Sport website; live on Channel Four

After being overlooked by England for almost a decade, the chances of Jodie Taylor proving herself a "world-class" striker at a major tournament seemed remote.

But at 31, the top scorer at Women’s Euro 2017 has joined Sir Geoff Hurst and Gary Lineker in becoming the only England players to score hat-tricks at major tournaments.

After a nomadic career which has taken her to 12 clubs in five countries and tested her self-belief to the limit, Taylor is now sleeping with the match ball after her treble in the famous 6-0 win over Scotland.

She also scored the winner as England finally beat France after a 43-year wait to move into the last four.

So why did it take so long for the Arsenal striker to belong in such elite company, and how did she get here?

From out in the cold to red hot

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Euro 2017 highlights: England 6-0 Scotland

While Taylor has looked a natural so far in the Netherlands – scoring five goals in three starts – it is only four years since she was in the international wilderness.

Consistently overlooked by then England manager Hope Powell, an uncapped Taylor watched Euro 2013 from the stands.

The tournament was a low point for the Lionesses – they finished bottom of their group and had the worst record of any side in the competition – but it proved a defining moment for Taylor.

"I was playing in Sweden at the time for Goteborg FC and a lot of my team-mates were representing Sweden. I remember sitting and watching in one of the stadiums and thinking, ‘I know I should be at the Euros’," Taylor said.

"In the past I maybe didn’t feel quite so valued by certain people but it was probably the first time where I thought, regardless of what anyone else says, I know I deserve to be here."

Fast forward four years and that judgement has proved right.

So why was she overlooked for so long?

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