TWO nine-year-old girls have taken a step towards achieving their goal of becoming professional footballers after being selected to play for a Football Association Centre of Excellence.

Olivia Vollans, of Littlethorpe, near Ripon and Amber Rodgers, of Thirsk, said they were thrilled to have been picked to represent North Yorkshire's elite under 11s, despite being a year younger than the majority in the 13-player squad.

The pair will train at the centre in York and are set to test their skills with the best girl footballers in the country in matches against Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Leeds United.

Olivia's father, Kevin, said his daughter, who plays on the right wing or as a centre forward, had been selected as she is skilful and quick.

He said: "Olivia wants to be a professional footballer, no doubt at all, which was something not available to girls at that age when I started playing football.

"She knows she will have to work hard to achieve her dream."

Thirty Centres of Excellence have been established across the country as part of the FA Girls’ England Talent Pathway scheme, to give female players opportunities to access appropriate levels of coaching and support to create English female players to compete on the world stage.