Coultard, a midfielder initially, though moving back to sweeper towards the end of her career, made her international debut in a 3–1 win over the Republic of Ireland in 1981, at the age of 18.[1] She went on to score 30 goals at international level, a rate of one every four games,[2] including a pair in England's first ever World Cup finals match, a 3–2 win over Canada in Sweden, in 1995.[3] England were knocked out at the quarter-final stage by eventual tournament runners-up, Germany.[4] Coultard had also been part of the England squad which finished runners-up to Sweden in the first UEFA final in 1984, losing the final on penalties.[5].