The Chelsea defender’s passion of wanting to create an environment for budding young players came to fruition this summer when she launched her own football academy.

It is in the early stages, but it is a product of Lawrence wanting to give back by using her wealth of experience for club and country to help those who hope to one day be in her shoes.

‘It is something I have been thinking about for some time,’ the 29-year-old explains eloquently. ‘At this point in my career and with the experience I have, I’m thinking about the next generation.

‘Even with the teams that I play for and the young players, I used to be in their shoes. I understand what it is like and, beyond that, the younger kids are looking up to us as role models.

‘I’ve always had a passion to give back and to give an environment or a platform for a young person to be inspired through sport and football, specifically – that’s where the idea came from.

‘We’re in the beginning of it, but there is so much we can do. My hope is to have various events and to talk about football, especially the things you don’t always see like all the preparation, the nutritional aspect, the pressures.’

As she said, Lawrence’s vision encompasses offering all-round support to young players, not just providing a space to actually play the game.

It is important to have those conversations, the Blues defender says, so prospective players understand all that is involved in being an athlete and the route they might take to reach the dizzy heights.

‘It’s hard to talk about the highest level if you haven’t been there,’ Lawrence added. ‘I’ve been here for many years now and it is one of the reasons why I want to share my experience.

‘Not everyone’s experiences are the same. That is really the key message to put across. I’m so happy to talk about my journey, but everyone I have played with has a different story.

‘I’ve played with players since I was 13 years old that are on the national team or playing at the highest level. I’ve played with others who came to the sport later or in a completely different way.

‘Everyone’s journey is different and you need to be able to dream no matter your story or background. You need to believe it is possible.’

Lawrence’s passion for the future generation is not only exemplified in setting up her own academy. There are smaller actions that also go a long way – and something she did this summer will stay with a number of young players for many years to come.

In June, having just played a double-header against Mexico with the national team in Toronto, Lawrence decided to have some well-earned quality time in her hometown with her family.

A letter from a young fan was waiting at home for her. And it just so happened that player turns out for a local team… who were playing that weekend, minutes away from Lawrence’s home.

‘I read the letter when I got back home and I realised it [the game] was literally just down the street,’ Lawrence said. ‘When I realised, I was like there is no way.

‘I was home for the weekend after playing with Canada, so I decided that I was going to go and surprise her.

‘They were all just shocked. To see the reaction – they were so excited – just puts it all into perspective. You don’t really realise the impact that you have. It was amazing.

‘They went on to win the game. It was a really important cup game, so it was really cool to be there and to cheer them on.’

It is not just the Canadian stars of tomorrow Lawrence is keen to inspire. Closer to home in London, the defender looks to be a source of guidance to the young and new Chelsea players.

‘I think it’s trying to create a space where they feel comfortable,’ Lawrence said. ‘I think back to when I first started out and there were so many emotions.

‘I felt scared at times because there isn’t a lot of time to adapt to the environment. You have to be ready to train at the highest level and to match the intensity of professional players who have been doing it for many years.

‘In that sense, there can be a lot of pressure and I understand that.

‘It can be a bit of tough love where you want to support the players but you also want to push them because you know what their potential is and what they are capable of.

‘That’s something I was fortunate to have in my environments when I first started out. It makes a huge difference on young players and their abilities, but also on their outlook and mentality.’

Lawrence benefited from the actions of her team-mates, ones she is now trying to implement herself. Players she once looked up to from afar soon became mentors who helped her learn the ropes.

‘I just look to the national team and when I was coming through we had a group of veterans,’ Lawrence said. ‘Someone like Christine Sinclair very quickly went from someone I was intimidated by to someone who took me under her wing.

‘It’s small things like saying hello or giving someone a little fist bump in the morning – they go a long way to a young player and you don’t really realise it.

‘Desiree Scott and Sophie Schmidt were others in the national team, and then when I went to France it was a whole different story with the language barrier and the culture change – there were so many challenges that I didn’t really realise before I’d made the decision to join the team.

‘There were so many players at PSG who helped me settle in and that made a big difference to me and my time there.’