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England's legendary Lionesses striker Kelly Smith, who scored an impressive 46 goals for her country, is backing a new study that reveals girls who play football are more confident and better equipped to handle online negativity.

As the UEFA Women's Euros approaches, the 46 year old Smith, who earned 117 caps for England, is urging young girls to take up the sport. She began playing at 17 and credits football with helping her develop resilience and confidence.

Smith said her "football network has allowed me to sustain confidence and resilience" and praised her "football family" for supporting her and letting her "be herself" during her youth.

Her comments coincide with research from EE, the UK's network provider and leading partner of the Home Nations Football Associations. The study surveyed two groups of teenage girls aged 13-18, those who play football and those who don't.

The results showed that 93 percent of girls who play football said it boosted their confidence, while two-thirds said the sport helped them develop emotional resilience and cope with negative online experiences.

They also felt more comfortable discussing social media pressures with family and friends.

In contrast, girls who didn't play sports said social media had a negative impact on their self-esteem, with 44 percent admitting it affected their confidence. The survey is a part of EE's 'Everyone Needs a Squad' initiative.

In an effort to bolster young girls, the British network giant has introduced an online resource named EE Squad.

This resource provides access to local football opportunities, confidence-boosting content via EE LearnSmart, and personal anecdotes from Home Nations players.

Smith, who is spearheading the campaign, shared: "Football gave me absolutely everything growing up. I wasn't a confident or outgoing person off the pitch, but as soon as I was playing, I could be myself and show what I could do; it was where I felt most comfortable."

She added: "The online world was very different back when I was starting out, but I've seen the pressures social media puts on young people now.

"Being part of a community is so important when it comes to building confidence and the resilience young people need to navigate the world."

"For me, there's no community more powerful than the football family," Kelly added, "I really hope as many girls as possible get to feel a part of that."

EE teamed up with adolescent psychologist, Dr Sheila Redfern, PhD, who assisted in formulating the research approach.

She noted: "In recent years, we have seen an increased spike in the mental and emotional health of adolescent girls, which has been exacerbated due to increased exposure to the online world.

"Adolescence is a time of significant developmental change," she added. "The study clearly shows that being in the football community can improve adolescent girls' self-esteem and confidence at a time in their lives when they are most likely to doubt themselves and compare themselves unfavourably to others."

Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses will begin their journey to hold onto their Euros title as they go head-to-head with France this Saturday (5 July).