England ace Ella Toone launches creative agency to boost profiles of female footballers

Ella Toone has become the first Lioness to launch her own creative agency, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing commercial growth of the women’s game.

The 25-year-old midfielder rose to prominence during England’s Euro 2022 triumph, scoring in the final against Germany. Since then, her public profile has soared, particularly on social media, leading to a string of commercial partnerships.

Toone co-hosts the popular BBC podcast The Tooney and Russo Show with England teammate Alessia Russo and has worked with major brands including Nike, Impulse, and Charlotte Tilbury. 

The Manchester United midfielder is currently the fifth most-followed player in the Women’s Super League (WSL) on Instagram with over 737,000 Instagram followers. She was also among the top five most-viewed UK athletes on TikTok last year.

Drawing on this experience, she has set up Amicizia Studios alongside her manager James Marshall, who has helped develop both Toone’s and Russo’s brands over the past few years.

And with over 50 per cent of WSL players currently operating without any sponsorship deals, Amicizia aims to connect female footballers with commercial and marketing opportunities. 

Toone co-hosts the BBC podcast The Tooney and Russo Show with teammate Alessia Russo

The midfielder rose to prominence during England’s Euro 2022 triumph and scored in the final

In their vision statement, Amicizia says it is ‘deep-rooted in Manchester’, adding: ‘We’re not just here to get players a few deals, we’re here to build them into household names, showing off their personalities, getting them the recognition and the proper fees, they deserve’. 

Toone, who was named last week in the 23-player squad for this summer’s Euros, said: ‘James and I have worked with a range of brands over the years, and we now want to help more brands enter women’s football and connect with players.’

Marshall added: ‘Through Amicizia, we want to give brands, athletes, and organisations the tools and expertise to create outstanding campaigns and content in the women’s game.

‘The women’s football space is evolving fast, and brands are more engaged than ever. We’re excited to help tell these stories and drive impactful collaborations.’

In 2023 Toone became the first England women’s player to trademark her name with the creation of her own ‘ET7’ brand – inspired by her childhood hero Cristiano Ronaldo CR7 – which included the launch of a soccer academy.