Ireland star Julie-Ann Russell's social media message for new mums ahead of Euro 2025 play-off

Julie-Ann Russell is conscious of coming across as too preachy.

It’s been a fairytale 16 months for the Galway United and Ireland midfielder, and new mum, who was unsure whether she would ever return to football after giving birth.

Not only did she return at club level - after running the New York marathon when baby Rosie was four months old - but Russell has made an astonishing comeback at international level too.

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Two more caps to add to the 60 she won during an Ireland career that was paused between April 2020 and July of this year, and a pair of goals against England and France.

And now she can be expected to play a key role in Ireland’s Euro 2025 play-off bid, kicking off on Friday in Tbilisi against Georgia.

It’s been a dream for fitness fanatic Russell, who has experienced the best of both worlds since the arrival of Rosie.

But she is well aware that not everyone gets that picture-perfect, Instagram-friendly experience, and is empathetic enough to see the other side of motherhood - the side that isn’t often highlighted on social media.

“I think everyone online, people are showing the tiny highlights of their life. Postpartum is so different for everybody,” she says.

“Some people might experience postnatal depression, other people might be flying from the start. It varies for everyone.

“But I think as long as you are getting a little bit of movement and fresh air, just take your time. Some people might get back to themselves after a couple of weeks, for others it might take a year.

“I think you just need to take everything with a pinch of salt and try to stay offline probably, and not compare yourself.

“It’s the thief of joy when you are comparing yourself to other ‘Hollywood’ people who probably have chefs and personal trainers and everything.”

Russell doesn’t have any of that, but she does have a strong support network.

Husband Kieran will look after baby Rosie until Saturday, when they will join the rest of the squad in the Castleknock Hotel, as Russell doesn’t want to subject her daughter to the long trip to Tbilisi and three-hour time difference.

She continues: “I didn’t put pressure on myself to come back. I was trying to go with the flow. Every pregnancy is different, postpartum is different.

“I just wanted to be the best version of myself, and see how my body might feel if I was going to return to training. Or maybe I thought I might not play again.

“So after the pregnancy, for me, I felt good, I felt strong. I had a C-section so I was completely off for six weeks. I did absolutely nothing and I just had that fire in my belly to go back training, get back moving.

“I love fitness, I love moving, I love being outdoors. So for me, that’s what my body was telling me to do.

“I went back training and felt good so I thought I’d give it another whack with Galway United. And the rest is history.

“I look after myself like I’m a professional. I train twice a day, I’m super into my nutrition, into my sleep, I’m trying to get as much sleep as I can with Rosie.

“I would train in the evenings with Galway United and then for me I actually do CrossFit. I’d be doing that at lunchtime, because I obviously work full-time.

“They would be doing stuff for me that would help me in my game and then I’d be doing my own football sessions as well.

“I think you need to have a lot of contact on the ball and you need to be physically really fit to perform at this top level when you are playing the likes of France and England.

“You need to be able to compete.”

Russell says she is in bonus territory now that she is unexpectedly back in the Ireland set-up.

“I’m literally just enjoying it, taking it each game at a time. I’m having the time of my life. As I’ve mentioned, I feel like I’m just playing with freedom,” she says.

“Obviously my case is a bit different than everyone else, so I don’t have a lot of pressure on myself, which I think is nice.

“When I was playing when I was younger, I just have a different mentality now. Long may it last.”

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